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AN 


EXPLANATION 


OF   THE 


Baltimore  Catechism 

of  ©torlstlau  goxtrlttje. 

FOR  THE  USE  OF 

Sunday-School  Teachers  and  Advanced  Classes, 


BT 


Rev.  THOMAS  L  KINKEAD, 


NEW  YORK,   CINCINNATI,  CHICAGO: 

BENZIQER      BROTHKRSt 

PRINTERS   TO   THE  |  PUBLISHERS  0» 

HOLY  APOSTOLIC   SEE       I       ^VKZIGEB.'S  l£J:iiiiZi;;S 


D,  J.    McMAHOif, 

Censor  Lib^rorum^ 

icinjiritnatur. 

Michael  Augustine, 

Archbishop  of  Kew  York 

New  York,  September  5,  1891. 


Oopyright,  1891,  by  BESZiavv  Brothmis. 


APPROBATIONS. 

His  Eminence  CARDINAL  GIBBONS: 

"  I  thank  you  for  the  copy  of '  The  Explanation  of  the  Baltimore 
Catechism'  which  has  just  reached  me.  A  Religious  spoke  to 
me  in  very  high  terms  of  your  book.  I  regard  the  opinion  as  of 
great  value." 

MostRev.  M.A.CORRIGAN,  D.D..  Archbishop  of  New  York* 

"  I  congratulate  you  on  the  good  which  it  is  likely  to  do." 

Most  Rev.  WILLIAM  HENRY  ELDER.  D.D..  Archbishopop 

Cincinnati: 

••  I  think  the  work  will  be  a  very  serviceable  one.  I  hope  it  will 
meet  with  great  success." 

iMosT  Rev.THOMAS  L.GRACE*^.  D.D.,  ArchbishopopSiunia: 

"Your  book  entitled  'An  Explanation  of  the  Baltimore  Cate- 
chism* supplies  a  want  which  is  generally  felt  by  the  clergy  and 
others  engaged  in  teaching  Catechism.  Apart  from  the  very 
satisfactory  development  of  the  answers  to  the  questions  and  apt 
illustrations  of  the  subjects  treated,  the  additional  questions  in- 
serted in  your  book  give  i'.  a  special  value." 

Most  Rev.  P.J.  RYAN,  D.D.,  Archbishbpbp  Philadelphia: 

•*  Your  explanation  of  the  Baltimore  Catechism  is  excellent  and 
must  be  of  very  great  service  to  teachers  of  Sunday-schools  and 
to  all  who  desire  a  clear  exposition  of  Catholic  doctrine,  either  for 
themselves  or  to  communicate  it  to  others.  We  giv«  the  work 
cat  cordial  approvaL" 


1  APPROBATIOfrS. 

Most  Rcv.WtLUAM  J.  WALSH,  D.D.,  Archbishop  OP  DuBLili, 
Primate  op  Ireland: 

"  I  have  had  a  copy  of  your  admirable  work  for  some  weeks 
past,  and  on  several  points  it  has  been  of  very  great  use  to  me 
and  to  the  committee  [a  committee  of  professors  of  theology, 
moral  as  well  as  dogmatic ;  priests  of  long  and  of  wide  experience 
in  the  work  of  instructing  children  in  the  Catechism ;  experienced 
examiners  of  children;  accomplished  scholars  and  writers  of 
English;  members  both  of  religious  and  of  secular  collegiate 
communities;  and  representatives  of  the  missionary  priesthood, 
secular  and  regular,  appointed  to  draft  a  new  Catechism]." 

Rmht  Rkv.O.  M.  BRADLEY.  D.D..  Bishop  (»f  Manchcste-c^ 

"1  rJB  sure  this  '  Explanation  *  will  be  welcomed  by  the  teachers 
In  our  schools  and  indeed  by  all  whose  duty  it  may  be  to  instruct 
others  in  the  teachings  of  the  Church." 

Right  Rev.THOMAS  F.  BRENNAN.  D.D.,  Bishop  of  Dallas: 

•*  I  like  the  book  very  much  and  will  not  only  recommend  it  to 
the  priests  and  good  sisters  of  my  diocese,  but  will  also  use  it 
myself  at  catechism  every  Sunday  in  the  Cathedral.  The  list  of 
questions  and  general  index  render  its  use  very  easy," 

Right  Rev.  M.  F.  BURKE,  D.D.,  Bishop  of  Cheyenne: 

"  Your  '  Explanation  of  the  Baltimore  Catechism '  is  exce'-Ient, 
and  it  supplies  a  much  needed  means  of  useful  and  necessary 
catechetical  instruction  for  our  Sunday-schools.  It  will  be  found 
an  excellent  text-book  for  Catholic  schools  and  academies  through- 
out the  country  and  a  most  useful  manual  for  all  who  are  engaged 
in  the  instruction  of  our  children." 

RiqhtRev.  L.  DeGOESBRIAND,D.D.  BishopofBurlinqtoni 

"  I  consider  your  book,  the  '  Explanation  of  the  Baltimore  Cate« 
chism,'  as  an  admirable  work.  Nothing  can  be  found  more  clear, 
more  satisfactory." 


APPROBA  TJOI^S: 

Right  Rev.  JOHN  FOLEY,  D.D..  Bishop  of  Detroit: 

"  I  congratulate  you  upon  producing  a  work  so  useful  to  thond 
baving  charge  of  souls  in  such  clear,  concise,  and  instructive  a 
style.     I  shall  gladly  commend  it  to  the  Rev.  Clergy." 

RiaHT  Rev.  H.  GABRIELS.  D.D.,  Bishop-electofOgdensburqi 

"Your  book  will  furnish  solid  material  to  priests  who  wish  to 
preach  at  low  masses  the  catechetical  instructions  prescribed  by 
the  council  of  Baltimore.  A  rapid  perusal  of  some  of  its  pages 
has  convinced  me  that  it  is  just  what  was  often  looked  for  in  vain 
in  this  important  branch  of  the  holy  ministry." 

Right  Rev.  N.  A.  GALLAGHER,  D.D.,  Bishop  of  Galvestoni 

"  Having  read  your  '  Explanation  of  the  Baltimore  Catechism, 
I  wish  to  say  that  it  is  in  my  opinion  a  very  useful  book  for  priests 
as  well  as  for  teachers ;  and  that  it  is  a  valuable  book  to  place  in 
the  hands  of  those  who  wish  to  become  acquainted  with  the 
teachings  of  Holy  Church.  I  have  just  ordered  ten  copies  from 
the  Publishers  for  my  own  distribution." 

Ri«HT  Rev.   LEO   HAID,  O.S.B..   D.D.,  Vicar  Apostolic  of 
North  Carolina: 

"I  am  very  glad  you  gave  us  such  a  sensible,  simple,  and 
complete  explanation  of  the  Baltimore  Catechism.  I  wish  it  were 
in  the  hands  of  every  teacher  of  Christian  doctrine.  In  this 
Vicariate,  where  priests  are  few,  and  often  obliged  to  receive  con- 
verts into  the  Church  without  that  thorough  instruction  which 
resident  pastors  can  give,  your  book  will  be  hailed  with  joy.  I 
will  do  my  utmost  to  make  it  known.  Please  send  me  one  dozen 
copies." 

Right  Rev.  JOHN  J.HENNESSY,  D.D.,  Bishop  of  Wichita: 

"  From  what  I  have  seen  of  your  book  I  am  delighted  with  the 
method  which  you  have  adopted  for  explanation.  It  makes  the 
Catechism  easy  and  interesting  to  both  teacher  and  pupil.  I  shall 
heartily  recommend  your  book  to  our  clergy  for  introductioa  into 
our  •*chooIa  * 


W  APPROBATIOffS, 

Right  Rev.  /C.  JUNGER,  D.D.,  Bishop  op  Ncsquallv: 

•'  I  am  sure  your  work  will  not  fail  to  ot  tain  its  object.  There 
is  not  the  least  doubt  that  it  will  be  of  the  greatest  and  best  use 
for  Sunday-school  teachers  and  advanced  classes  who  will  make 
use  of  it,  and  to  whom  we  highly  recommend  it.  Such  a  work 
was  needed,  as  our  Baltimore  Catechism  does  not  and  cannot 
contain  all  the  necessary  explanations.** 

PiQHT  Rev.  JOHN  J.  KEANE,  D.D.,  Rector  OP  THE  CATHOLii' 

University,  Washington: 

••The  character  of  the  work  speaks  for  itself." 

dwirr  Revr  W.  G.  McCLOSKEY,  D.O..  Bishop  op  LouisvsLtE? 

"  What  I  have  already  seen  of  it  gives  me  the  impression  that 
it  is  a  meritorious  work  which  ought  to  be  encouraged." 

Right  Rev.  JAMES  McGOLRICK,  D.D.,  Bishop  of  Duluth. 

"  I  think  you  have  prepared  a  thoroughly  practical  work  in  your 
•Explanation  of  the  Baltimore  Catechism.'  You  have  in  well- 
selected  and  plain  English  enabled  teachers  to  give  useful  lessons 
from  the  text  itself  without  the  need  of  resort  to  other  books.  Your 
book  will  find  its  way  to  the  desk  of  every  Catholic  teacher,  and  we 
hope  to  the  home  of  every  Catholic  family.  I  am  glad  you  marked 
the  Scripture  references,  for  the  higher  classes  after  confirmation 
can  unite  their  Scripture  lessons  with  such  study  of  your  book  as 
to  prepare  themselves  for  teaching.  Your  series  of  questions  and 
good  index  are  certainly  very  useful" 

Right  Rev.  CAMILLUS  P.  MAES,  D.D.,  Bishop  of  Covington: 

"I  have  examined  your  'Explanation  of  the  Baltimore  Cate- 
chism* on  some  of  the  most  important  points  of  doctrine  and 
morals.  I  find  its  teaching's  sound,  and  the  manner  of  presenting 
them  practical.  I  take  pleasure  in  commending  your  book  to 
priests  and  teachers,  and  in  congratulating  you  for  having  bestowed 
so  much  time  on  the  greatest  of  all  pastoral  work,  viz. :  giving  the 
children  a  thorough  and  sound  knowledge  of  Holy  Church  and! 
of  ber  divine  teachings." 


RittHT  fiE«.  c.  e.  McDonnell,  o.d..   nisHop-tLccr  or 

Bnooklvn  I 
"  I  beg  you  to  accept  my  hearty  congratulations," 

AiqhtRcv.  p.  MANOGUE,  D  D..  Bishop  of  Sacramentoi 

"We  have  ponderous  works  from  distinguished  authors  on  the 
Catechism  in  general,  but  yours — '  An  Explanation  of  the  Balti- 
more Catechism  ' — is  the  simplest,  most  concise,  most  natural  and 
instructive  I  have  yet  encountered.  It  is  good  not  only  for 
advanced  pupils,  teachers,  preachers  and  priests,  but  also  for  the 
sacred  precincts  of  every  Catholic  family." 

Right  Rev.  TOBIAS  MULLEN,  D.D.,  Bishop  of  Eric: 

"Your  book  appears  to  me  a  very  meritorious  production.  In 
your  preface  you  observe  it  has  been  designed  for  the  use  of 
Sunday-school  teachers  and  that  it  'should  do  good  in  any 
Catholic  family.'  I  think  you  might  have  added  that  any  clergy- 
man having  the  care  of  souls,  whether  giving  private  instructions 
or  preparing  for  the  pulpit,  would  derive  great  benefits  from  its 
perusal " 

Right  Rev.  H.  P.  NORTHROP,  D.©  .  EishofopChafjLEstow: 
"The  'Explanation  of  the  Baltimore  Catechism,'  plam  and 
practical,  clear  and  comprehensive,  was  a  work  very  much  needed. 
From  a  general  examination,  I  think  you  have  done  your  work  well, 
and  you  deserve  the  thanks  of  all  teachers  of  catechism  and  those 
who  have  charge  of  our  schools.  You  have  simplified  the  work  of 
the  teacher  by  putting  in  his  hand  such  a  ready  handbook  and 
commentary  on  the  text  he  is  supposed  to  explain.  If  they  do 
what  they  expect  their  pupils  to  do — study  the  lesson — with  such 
a.  help  as  you  have  furnished  them,  the  work  of  the  Sunday-school 
will  be  much  more  satisfactory.  '  I  hope  the  hearty  appreciation 
of  those  for  whom  you  have  labored  will  crown  your  work  with 
abundant  successo" 


yi  APPROBA  TIONS. 

Right  Rev.   HENRY  JOSEPH   RICHTER.  D.D..  Bishop  or 
Grand  Rapids: 

"  The  aim  of  your  book  is  excellent.  To  judge  from  the  por- 
tions which  I  have  read,  your  labor  has  been  successful.  I  rec- 
ommend the  book  to  all  Catholic  adults,  but  especially  to  teachers 
and  converts,  as  a  convenient  handbook  of  appropriate,  plain,  and 
solid  instructions  on  the  doctrines  of  the  Catholic  Church." 

Right  Rev.  S.  V.  RYAN,  D.D..  Bishop  of  Buffalo: 

"  I  think  your  work  fully  meets  all  you  claim  for  it.  It  will 
serve  as  a  good  text-book  for  an  advanced  catechism  class,  and 
a  very  useful  handbook  for  catechists  in  instructing  converts  or 
our  own  people  what  they  should  know  and  what  they  are  bound 
to  believe  in  regard  to  our  holy  faith.  The  book  will,  I  think,  do 
good  in  any  Catholic  family." 

Right  Rev.  L.  SCANLAN,  D.D.,  Bishop  of  Salt  Lake: 

"  I  consider  it  a  most  useful  if  not  necessary  book,  not  only  for 
Sunday-school  teachers  and  for  advanced  classes,  but  for  all  who 
may  desire  to  have  a  clear,  definite  knowledge  of  Christiao 
doctrine." 


PREFACK 


,1  must  be  evident  to  all  who  have  had  experience  in  the 
work  of  our  Sunday-schools  that  much  time  is  wasted  in  the 
classes.  Many  teachers  do  little  more  than  mark  the  attend- 
ance and  hear  the  lessons;  this  being  done,  time  hangs 
heavily  on  their  hands  till  the  school  is  dismissed.  They  do 
not  or  cannot  explain  what  they  are  teaching,  and  the  chil- 
dren have  no  interest  in  the  study. 

The  ** Explanation  of  the  Baltimore  Catechism**  is 
intended  for  their  use.  The  explanations  are  full  and  sim- 
ple. The  examples  are  taken  from  Holy  Scripture,  from  the 
parables  of  Our  Lord,  from  incidents  in  His  life,  and  from 
the  customs  and  manners  of  the  people  of  His  time.  These 
are  made  applicable  to  our  daily  lives  in  reflections  and 
exhortations. 

The  plan  of  the  book  makes  it  very  simple  and  handy. 
The  Catechism  is  complete  and  distinct  in  itself,  and  may  be 
used  with  or  without  the  explanations.  The  teacher  is  sup- 
posed, after  hearing  the  lesson,  to  read  the  explanation  of 
the  new  lesson  as  far  as  time  will  allow.  It  may  be  read  just 
as  it  is,  or  may  be  learned  by  the  teacher  and  given  to  the 
children  in  substance. 

The** Explanation  of  the  Baltimore  Catechism"  will 
be  found  very  useful  also  for  the  instruction  of  adults  and 
converts.  The  priest  on  the  mission  is  often  called  upon  to 
instruct  persons  who  can  come  to  him  but  seldom,  and  only 
for  a  short  time;  and  who,  moreover,  are  incapable  of  using 
with  profit  such  books  as  **The  Faith  of  our   Fathers;,'* 

3 


4  Preface, 

**  Catholic  Belief/'  or  vrorks  of  controversy.  Iney  are  simply 
able  to  use  the  Child's  Catechism  when  explained  to  them. 
If  the  "Explanation  of  the  Baltimore  Catechism"  is  in 
their  hands,  they  may  read  the  explanations  and  study  the 
Catechism  with  pleasure. 

Indeed  the  book  should  do  good  in  any  Catholic  family. 
The  majority  of  our  people  are  children  as  far  as  their  relig. 
ious  knowledge  goes.  They  may,  it  is  true,  have  books  oi. 
particular  subjects,  such  as  the  "  Duties  of  Parents  to  their 
Children,"  "  The  Sure  Way  to  a  Happy  Marriage,"  etc. ;  but 
a  book  that  explains  to  them  in  the  simplest  manner  all  the 
truths  of  their  religion,  and  applies  the  same  to  their  daily 
lives,  ought  to  be  useful. 

The  chief  aim  of  the  book  is  to  be  practical,  and  to  teach 
Catholics  what  they  should  know,  and  how  these  truths  of 
their  Catechism  are  constantly  coming  up  in  the  performance 
of  their  every-day  duties.  It  is  therefore  neither  a  book  of 
devotion  nor  of  controversy,  though  it  covers  the  ground  of 
both.  As  in  this  book  the  explanations  are  interrupted  by 
the  questions  and  answers  of  the  Catechism  proper,  it  will,  it 
is  hoped,  be  read  with  more  pleasure  than  a  book  giving  solid 
page  after  page  of  instruction. 

Wherever  a  fact  is  mentioned  as  being  taken  from  Holy 
Scripture,  it  will  generally  be  given  in  substance  and  not  in 
the  exact  text;  though  the  reference  will  always  be  given,  so 
that  those  wishing  may  read  it  as  it  is  in  the  Holy  Scripture. 
The  children  are  not  supposed  to  memorize  the  explanation 
as  they  do  the  Catechism  itself,  yet  the  teacher,  having  once 
read  it  to  them,  should  ask  questions  on  it.  The  book  may 
be  used  as  a  text-book  or  catechism  for  the  more  advanced 
classes,  and  the  complete  list  of  numbered  questions  on  the 
explanations — given  at  the  end — will  render  it  very  service- 
able for  that  purpose. 

As  the  same  subject  often  occurs  in  different  parts  of  the 
Catechism,  explanations  already  given  may  sometimes  be 
repeated.  This  is  done  either  to  show  the  connection  between 
the  different  parts  of    the    Catechism,  or  to  impress  tho 


Preface,  5 

explanation  more  deeply  on  the  minds  of  the  children,  or  to 
save  the  teaclier  the  trouble  of  always  turning  back  to  pre- 
ceding explanations.  The  numbering  of  the  questions  and 
ansrt^ers  throughout  the  C.techism, and  the  complete  index  of 
subjects  and  list  of  questions  at  the  end,  will,  it  is  hoped, 
make  these  comparisons  and  references  easy,  and  the  book  it- 
self useful. 

With  the  hope,  then,  that  the  "Explanation  of  the 
Baltimore  Catechism"  may  do  all  the  good  intended,  I  com- 
mend it  to  all  who  desire  a  fuller  knowledge  of  their  holy 
religion  that  thoy  may  practise  it  more  faithfully. 

FicAST  OF  St.  Aloysius,  1891. 


CONTENTS. 


PRAYERS. 

PAQB 

Tut,  Lord  8  Prayer, ....  9 

Thb  Angelical  Salutation, 14 

The  Apostles'  Creed, 17 

The  Confiteor, 28 

An  Act  of  Faith, i        ....  80 

An  Act  of  Hope,        ........        ..30 

An  Act  of  Love, 31 

An  Act  of  Contrition, 32 

The  Blessing  before  Meals, 33 

Grace  after  Meals 33 

The  Manner  in  which  a  Lay  Person  is  to  Baptize  in  Case  of  Neces- 
sity,     ...               33 

CATECHISM. 

Lesson  First— On  the  End  of  Man, 86 

Lesson  Second — On  God  and  His  Perfections, 45 

Lesson  Third— On  the  Unity  and  Trinity  of  God,    .        .        .        ,  50 

Lesson  Fourth — On  Creation 54 

Lesson  Fifth— On  our  First  Parents  and  their  Fall,  .        .        .59 

Lesson  Sixth — On  Sin  and  its  Kinds 67 

Lesson  Seventh — On  the  Incarnation  and  Redemption,            .        .  79 
Lesson  Eighth— On  Our  Lord's  Passion,  Death,  Resurrection,  and 

Ascension, 92 

Lesson  Ninth— On  the  Holy  Ghost  and  His  Descent  upon  the  Apos- 
tles,       106 

.  117 

.  124 

.  134 

.  151 


Lesson  Tenth — On  the  Effects  of  the  Redemption,  . 
Lesson  Eleventh — On  the  Church,     .        .        .        .        „ 
Lesson  Twelfth — On  the  Attributes  and  Marks  of  the  Church 
Lesson  Thirteenth — On  the  Sacraments  in  General, 

7 


8  ConteiiZs, 

PAGB 

Lesson  Fourteenth— On  Baptism 158 

Lesson  Fifteenth — On  Contirmatiou, 169 

Lesson  Sixteenth — On  the  Gifts  and  Fruits  of  the  Holy  Ghost,       .  173 
Lesson  Seventeenth— On  the  Sacrament  of  Penance,       .        .        .  178 

Lesson  Eighteenth — On  Contrition, 192 

Lesson  Nineteenth — On  Confession, 198 

Lesson  Twentieth — On  the  Manner  of  Making  a  Good  Confession,  213 

Lesson  Twenty-first — On  Indulgences, 216 

Lesson  Twenty-second — On  the  Holy  Eucharist,      ....  221 
Lesson  Twenty-third— On  the  Ends  for  which  the  Holy  Eucharist 

was  Instituted, •        .  233 

Lesson  Twenty-fourth — On  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass,      .        .        .  236 
Lesson  Twenty-fifth — On  Extreme  Unction  and  Holy  Orders,         .  243 

Lesson  Twenty-sixth— On  Matrimony 255 

Lesson  Twenty-seventh — On  the  Sacramentals 265 

Lesson  Twenty-eighth — On  Prayer,  276 

Lesson  Twenty-ninth — On  the  Commandments  of  God,  .        .  284 

Lesson  Thirtieth— On  the  FJrst  Commandment,        ....  268 
Lesson  Thirty -first — The  First  Commandment.     On  the  Honor  and 

Invocation  of  the  Saints, 302 

Lesson  Thirty-second — From  the  Second  to  the  Fourth  Command- 
ment,    .....  310 

Lesson  Thirty-third —From  the  Fourth  to  the  Seventh  Command- 
ment  318 

Lesson  Thirty-fourth — From  the  Seventh  to  the  End  of  the  Tenth 

Commandment,  ...  .      ' 326 

Lesson  Thirty-fifth — On  the  First  and  Second  Commandments  of 

the  Church 334 

Lesson  Thirty-sixth— On  the  Third,  Fourth,  Fifth,  and  Sixth  Com- 
mandments of  the  Church, 340 

Lesson  Thirty-seventh — On  the  Last  Judgmeot  and  the  Resurrec- 
tion, Hell,  Purgatory,  and  Heaven, 847 


AN  EXPLANATION 

OF 

lll£  CATECHISM  OF  CHRISTIAN  DOCTEINEi 


PRAYERS. 

THE  LORD'S  PRAYER. 

Our  Father,  Who  art  in  heaven,  hallowed  be  Thy  name. 
Thy  kingdom  come.  Thy  will  be  done  on  earth  as  it  is  in 
heaven.  Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread.  And  forgive  us 
our  trespasses,  as  we  forgive  those  who  trespass  against  us. 
And  lead  us  not  into  temptation,  but  deliver  us  firom  evil. 
Amen. 

This  is  the  most  beautiful  and  best  of  all  prayers,  because 
Our  Lord  Himself  made  it  (Matt.  vi.  9;  Luke  xi.  2).  One 
day  when  He  was  praying  and  explaining  to  His  apostles  the 
gieal  advantages  of  prayer,  one  of  them  said  to  Him:  "Lord, 
ietich  us  to  pray."  Then  Jesus  taught  them  this  prayer.  It 
contains  everything  we  need  or  could  ask  for.  We  cannot  see 
ite  ioU  meaning  at  once.  The  more  we  think  over  it^  tb* 
more  clearly  we  understand  it.  "We  cOtild  write  whole  pages 
on  almost  every  word,  and  still  not  say  all  that  could  be  said 
about  this  prayer.  It  is  called  "  the  Lord's^ "  because  He  made 
it,  and  sometimes  the  "  Our  Father,"  from  the  first  words. 

We  say  "  Our, "  to  show  that  we  are  all  brethren,  and  that 
God  is  the  Father  of  us  all,  and  therefore  we  r^'ay  not  for 
ourselves  alone  but  for  all  God's  children. 


10  The  Lord's  Prayer, 

'Vt  say  "Father,"  because  God  really  is  our  Father.  W* 
tio  uot  mean  here  by  Father  the  First  Person  of  the  Blessed 
Trinity,  but  the  Blessed  Trinity  itself—one  God.  What  does 
a  father  do  for  his  children  ?  He  gives  them  theii^  natural 
existence,  provides  them  with  food  and  clothing,  teaches, 
protects,  and  loves  them,  shares  with  them  all  that  he  has,  and 
when  he  dies  leaves  them  his  possessions.  Now,  in  all  these 
ways,  and  in  a  much  truer  sense,  God  is  our  Father.  He 
created  us  and  gives  us  all  that  is  necessary  to  sustain  life. 
He  gives  light,  heat,  and  air,  without  any  one  of  which  we 
could  not  live.  He  provides  for  us  also  food  and  clothings 
and  long  before  we  need  or  even  think  of  these  things  God  is 
thinking  of  "them.  Did  you  ever  reflect  upon  just  how  much 
time  and  trouble  it  costs  to  produce  for  you  even  one  potato, 
of  which  you  think  so  little  ?  About  two  years  before  you 
need  that  potato,  God  puts  it  into  the  mind  of  the  farmer  to 
save  the  seed  that  he  may  plant  it  the  following  year.  In  the 
proper  season  he  prepares  the  ground  with  great  care  and 
plants  the  seed.  Then  God  sends  His  sunlight  and  rain 
■to  make  it  grow,  but  the  farmer's  work  is  not  yet  ended:  he 
must  continue  to  keep  the  soil  in  good  condition  and  clear 
away  the  weeds.  In  due  time  the  potato  is  taken  from  the 
ground,  brought  to  the  market,  carried  to  your  house,  cooked 
and  placed  before  you.  You  take  it  without  even  thinking, 
perhaps,  of  all  this  trouble,  or  thanking  God  for  His  good- 
ness. This  is  only  one  article  of  food,  and  the  same  may  be 
said  of  all  the  rest.  Your  clothing  is  provided  for  you  long 
before  you  need  it.  The  little  lamb  upon  whose  back  the 
wool  is  growing,  from  which  your  coat  is  some  day  to  be 
made,  is  even  now  far  away  on  some  mountain,  growing 
strongei  with  the  food  God  gives  it  till  you  need  its  wool. 
The  little  pieces  of  coal,  too,  that  you  so  carelessly  throw  upon 
the  fire  were  formed  deep  down  in  the  earth  hundreds  of 
years  ago.  God  produces  all  you  use,  because  He  foresees  and 
knows  you  will  use  it.  Moreover  He  protects  us  from  danger; 
He  teaches  us  by  the  voice  of  our  conscience  and  the  minis- 
ters of  His  Church,  our  priests  and  bishops.    He  loves  us  too,  on 


The  LoriTs  Prayer  11 

we  may  learn  from  ^11  that  He  does  for  us,  and  from  the  many 
times  He  forgives  us  our  sins.  He  shares  what  He  possessea 
with  us.  He  has  given  us  understanding  and  a  free  wiU 
resembling  His  own.  He  has  given  us  immortality,  i.  e.,  wnen 
once  He  has  created  us,  we  shall  exist  as  long  as  Himself— 
that  is,  forever.  When  Our  Lord  died  on  the  cross.  He  left  us 
His  many  possessions, — His  graces  and  merits,  the  holy  sacra- 
ments, and  heaven  itself. 

It  is,  surely,  then  just  and  right  to  call  God  Father.  Our 
natural  fathers  give  us  only  what  they,  themselves,  get  from 
God.    So  even  what  they  give  us  also  comes  from  Him. 

Before  the  time  of  Our  Lord,  the  people  in  prayer  did  not 
call  God  Father.  They  feared  Him  more  than  they  loved 
Him.  When  He  spoke  to  them — as  He  did  when  He  gave 
the  commandments  to  Moses — it  was  in  thunder,  lightning, 
rnd  smoke  (Exodus  xix.).  They  looked  upon  God  as  a 
great  and  terrible  king  who  would  destroy  them  for  their 
sins.  He  sent  the  deluge  on  account  of  sin,  and  He  destroyed 
the  wicked  city  of  Sodom  with  fire  from  heaven  (Genesis 
vii.;  xix.)  They  called  Him  Jehovah,  and  were  afraid 
sometimes  even  to  pronounce  His  name.  But  Our  Lord 
taught  that  God,  besides  being  a  great  and  powerful  king — 
the  Kuler  of  the  universe  and  Lord  of  all  things — is  also  a 
kind  and  good  Father,  "Who  wishes  His  cliildren  not  to  offend 
Him  because  they  love  Him  rather  than  because  they  fear 
Him,  and  therefore  He  taught  His  disciples  and  all  Christians 
to  call  God  by  the  sweet  name  of  Father. 

"  Who  art  in  heaven."  The  Catechism  says  God  is  every- 
where. Why  then  do  we  say,  "Who  art  in  heaven,"  as  if  He 
were  no  place  else  ?  "We  say  so  to  remind  us,  1st,  that 
heaven  is  our  true  home,  and  that  this  world  is  only  a  strange 
land  in  which  we  are  staying  for  a  while  to  do  the  work  that 
God  wishes  us  to  do  here,  and  then  return  to  our  own  home; 
2d,  that  in  heaven  we  shall  see  God  face  to  face  and  as  He  is; 
3d,  that  heaven  is  the  place  where  God  will  be  for  all  eternity 
with  the  blessed. 

"Hallowed"  means  made  holv  or  sacred.     Halloween  is 


12  The  Lord's  Prayer, 

the  name  given  to  the  evening  before  the  feast  of  All  Hallo^ro 
or  All  Saiuts. 

"Thy  kingdom  come.**  This  petition  contains  a  great 
deal  more  than  we  at  first  see  in  it.  In  it  we  ask  that  God 
may  reign  in  our  hearts  and  in  the  hearts  of  all  men  by  His 
grace  in  this  life,  and  that  we  and  all  men  may  attain  our 
eternal  salvation,  and  thus  be  brought  to  reign  forever  with 
God  in  heaven — the  kingdom  of  His  glory.  As  the  Church 
on  earth  is  frequently  called  the  kingdom  of  Christ,  and  as  all 
the  labors  of  the  Church  are  directed  to  the  salvation  of  souls, 
we  pray  also  in  this  petition  that  the  Church  may  be  extended 
upon  earth,  that  the  true  religion  may  be  spread  over  the 
whole  world,  that  all  men  may  know  and  serve  the  true  God 
and  cheerfully  obey  His  holy  laws;  that  the  devil  may  have 
no  dominion  over  them.  While  saying  this  petition  we  may 
have  it  in  our  minds  to  pray  even  for  particular  ways  in 
which  the  true  religion  can  be  spread;  for  example,  by  pray- 
ing that  the  missionaries  may  meet  with  success  and  all  the 
missions  prosper;  that  priests  and  bishops  may  be  ordained  to 
preach  the  Gospel;  that  the  Church  may  overcome  all  Jier 
enemies  everywhere,  and  the  true  religion  triumph. 

"  Thy  will  be  done  on  earth  as  it  is  in  heaven."  In  heaven 
all  the  angels  and  saints  obey  God  perfectly;  they  never 
ofiFend  Him;  so  we  pray  that  it  may  be  on  earth  as  it  is  in 
heaven,  all  men  doing  God's  will,  observing  His  laws  and  the 
laws  of  His  Church,  and  living  without  sin. 

"Give  us  this  day  our  daily  bread."  In  this  petition 
"bread"  means  not  merely  bread,  but  everything  we  need 
for  our  daily  lives;  such  as  food,  clothing,  light,  heat,  air,  and 
the  like;  also  food  for  the  soul,  i.e.,  grace.  If  a  beggar  told 
you  that  he  had  not  tasted  bread  for  the  whole  day,  you  would 
never  think  of  asking  him  if  he  had  eaten  any  cake,  because 
you  would  understand  by  his  word  bread  all  kinds  of  food. 
We  say  "  daily,"  to  teach  us  not  to  be  greedy  or  too  careful 
about  ourselves,  and  not  to  ask  for  unnecessary  things,  but 
to  pray  for  what  we  need  for  our  present  wants. 

"  And  fori:iTe  us  our  tresnasses  as  we  forgive  those  wh# 


The  Lord's  Prayer,  IS 

trespass  against  us."  "Trespasses"  means  here  our  sius,  our 
offences  against  God.  AVhen  we  trespass  wc  enter  places  we 
should  not,  or  where  we  are  forbidden  to  go.  So  when  we  sin 
we  go  where  we  should  not  go,  viz.,  out  of  the  path  of  virtue 
that  leads  to  God,  and  into  the  way  of  vice  that  leads  to  the 
devil. 

"  As  we  forgive  them,"  We  take  this  to  mean :  we  forgive 
others  who  have  offended  us,  and  for  that  reason,  God,  You 
should  forgive  us  who  have  offended  You.  Our  Lord  told 
(Matt,  xviii.  23)  a  beautiful  parable,  i.e.,  a  story  by  way  of  illus- 
tration, to  explain  this.  A  very  rich  man  had  a  servant  who 
owed  him  a  large  sum  of  money.  One  day  the  master  asked 
the  servant  for  the  money,  and  the  poor  servant  had  none  to 
give.  Now  the  law  of  the  country  was,  that  when  any  one 
could  not  pay  his  debts,  all  that  he  had  could  be  sold  and  the 
money  given  to  the  one  to  whom  it  was  due,  and  if  that  was 
not  sufficient,  he  and  his  wife  and  his  children  could  be  sold 
as  slaves.  The  servant,  knowing  this,  fell  on  his  knees  and 
bogged  his  master  to  be  patient  with  liim,  and  to  give  him 
time  and  he  would  pay  all.  Then  his  master  was  moved  to  pity, 
granted  not  only  what  he  asked,  but  freed  him  from  the  debt 
altogether.  Afterwards  when  this  servant,  who  had  just  been 
forgiven  the  large  sum,  was  going  out,  he  found  one  of  his 
fellow- servants  who  owed  him  a  very  small  sum  of  money,  and 
taking  hold  of  him  by  the  throat,  demanded  payment.  Now, 
this  poor  servant,  having  nothing  to  give  just  then,  implored 
his  assailant  to  be  patient  with  him  and  he  would  pay  all. 
But  the  hard-hearted  servant — though  he  himself  had  a  little 
while  before  asked  and  obtained  the  very  same  favor  from  his 
own  master — would  not  listen  to  the  request  or  wait  longer, 
but  went  and  had  his  fellow-servant  cast  into  prison  till  he 
should  pay  the  debt.  The  other  servants,  seeing  how  unfor- 
giving this  man  was  who  had  himself  been  forgiven,  went  and 
told  all  to  their  master,  and  he,  being  angry  at  such  conduct, 
had  the  unforgiving  servant  brought  back  and  cast  into  prison. 
"And  lead  us  not  into  temptation.'*  "Temptation**  means 
a  trial  to  see  whether  we  will  do  a  thing  cr  not.     Here  it 


14  J%e  Angelical  Salutahon. 

means  a  trial  made  by  some  person  or  thing — the  devil,  the 
world,  or  our  own  flesh — to  see  whether  we  will  sin  or  not. 
God  does  not  exactly  lead  us  into  temptation ;  but  He  allows 
us  to  fall  into  it.  He  allows  others  to  tempt  us.  We  can 
overcome  any  temptation  to  sin  by  the  help  or  grace  that  God 
gives  us.  Therefore  we  ask  in  this  petition  that  God  will 
always  give  us  the  grace  to  overcome  the  temptation,  and  that 
we  may  not  consent  to  it.  A  temptation  is  not  a  sin.  It  be- 
comes sin  only  when  we  are  overcome  by  it.  When  we  are 
tempted  we  are  like  soldiers  fighting  a  battle :  if  the  soldiers 
are  conquered  by  their  enemy,  they  are  disgraced ;  but  if  they 
conquer  their  enemy,  they  have  great  glory  and  great  rewards. 
So,  when  we  overcome  temptation,  God  gives  us  a  new  glory 
and  reward  for  every  victory. 

"Deliver  us  from  evil."  From  every  kind  of  evil,  and 
especially  the  evil  of  being  conquered  by  our  spiritual  enemier, 
and  thus  falling  into  sin,  and  offending  God  by  becoming  Hi'3 
enemy  ourselves.  It  would  be  a  sin  to  seek  temptatior, 
though  we  have  a  reward  for  resisting  it  when  it  comes. 

"  Amen "  means,  be  it  so.  May  all  we  have  asked  \  * 
granted  just  as  we  have  asked  it. 


THE  ANGELICAL  SALUTATION. 

Hail,  Mary,  full  of  grace !  the  Lord  is  with  thee :  blesse^l 
art  thou  amongst  women,  and  blessed  is  the  fruit  of  th7 
womb,  Jesus.  Holy  Mary,  Mother  of  God,  pray  for  na 
sinners,  now  and  at  the  hour  of  our  death.    Amen. 

Next  in  beauty  to  the  Lord's  Prayer  comes  this  prayen 
It  is  made  up  of  three  parts: 

"  Hail,  full  of  grace  !  the  Lord  is  with  thee  :  blessed  art 
thou  amongst  women  "  was  composed  by  the  angel  Gabriel,  for 
these  are  the  words  he  used  wlien  he  came  to  tell  the  Blessed 
Virgin  that  she  was  selected  to  be  the  Mother  of  God  (Lukei. 
28).  All  her  people  knew  that  the  Redeemer  promised  fro^^ 
the  time  of  Eve  down  to  the  time  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  waK 


The  Angelical  Salutation.  15 

now  to  be  born,  and  many  good  women  were  anxious  to  be 
His  mother,  and  they  believed  the  one  who  would  be  selected 
the  most  blessed  and  happy  of  all  women. 

"  Th€  Lord  is  with  thee  "  by  His  grace  and  favor,  since 
you  are  the  one  He  loves  best.  He  is  with  all  His  creatures, 
but  He  is  with  you  in  a  very  special  manner. 

After  the  visit  of  the  angel,  the  Blessed  Virgin  went  a 
good  distance  to  visit  her  cousin,  St.  Elizabeth,  who  was  the 
mother  of  St.  John  the  Baptist  (Luke  i.  39).  When  St. 
Elizabeth  saw  her,  she,  without  being  told  by  the  Blessed 
Virgin  what  the  angel  had  done,  knew  by  the  inspiration  of 
the  Holy  Ghost  what  had  taken  place,  and  said  to  the  Blessed 
Virgin :  "  Blessed  art  thou  amongst  women,  and  blessed  is  the 
fruit  of  thy  womb. "  That  is,  "  blessed  "  because,  of  all  the 
women  that  have  ever  lived  or  ever  shall  live,  you  are  the 
one  selected  by  God  to  be  the  mother  of  His  Son  and  Our 
Redeemer,  and  blessed  is  that  Son  Himself.  This  is  the 
second  part  of  the  prayer.  The  third  part,  f rona  "  Holy  Mary  " 
to  the  end,  was  composed  by  the  Church. 

"  Hail."  This  was  the  word  used  by  the  people  of  that 
country  in  saluting  one  another  when  they  met.  We  say  when 
meeting  any  one  we  know,  "  Good-day,"  or  "  How  do  you  do  ?" 
or  some  such  familiar  expression  used  by  all  in  salutation.  So 
these  people,  instead  of  saying,  "Good-day,"  etc.,  said  "Hail," 
i.e,  I  wish  you  health,  I  greet  you,  etc.  The  angel  did  not  say 
"  Mary,"  because  she  was  the  only  one  present  to  address. 

"  Full  of  grace."  When  anything  is  full  it  has  no  room 
for  more.  God's  grace  and  sin  cannot  exist  in  the  same  place. 
Therefore  when  the  Blessed  Virgin  was  full  of  grace,  there 
was  no  room  for  sin.  So  she  was  without  any  sin  and  gifted 
with  every  virtue. 

"Holy  Mary,"  because  one  full  of  grace  must  be  holy. 
^  "Mother  of  God,"  because  her  Son  was  true  God  and  truo 
man  in  the  one  person  of  Christ,  Our  Lord. 

"  Pray  for  us,"  because  she  has  more  power  with  her  Son 
tha-p-  all  the  other  saints. 

^  dinners,"  and  therefore  we  need  forgivenesa 


16  The  Angelical  Salutation. 

"At  the  hour  of  our  death"  especially,  because  that  is  the 
most  important  time  for  us.  No  matter  how  bad  we  have 
been  during  our  lives,  if  God  gives  us  the  grace  to  die  in 
His  friendship,  we  shall  be  His  friends  forever.  On  the 
jther  hand,  no  matter  how  good  we  may  have  been  for  a  part 
of  our  lives,  if  we  become  bad  before  death,  and  die  in  that 
state,  we  shall  be  separated  from  God  forever,  and  be  con- 
demned to  eternal  punishment.  It  would  be  wrong,  therefore, 
to  live  in  sin,  with  a  promise  that  we  shall  die  well,  for  God 
may  not  give  us  the  grace  or  opportunity  to  repent,  and  we 
may  die  in  sin  if  we  have  lived  in  sin.  Besides  this,  the  devil 
knows  how  much  depends  upon  the  state  in  which  we  die,  and 
so  he  perhaps  will  tempt  us  more  at  death  than  at  any  other 
time;  for  if  we  yield  to  him  and  die  in  sin,  we  shall  be  with 
him  forever — it  is  his  last  chance  to  secure  our  souls. 

Besides  the  Hail  Mary  there  is  another  beautiful  prayer  on 
the  same  subject,  called  the  Angelas.  It  is  a  little  history  of  the 
Incarnation,  and  is  said  morning,  noon,  and  evening  in  honor 
of  Our  Lord's  incarnation,  death,  and  resurrection.  It  is 
made  up  of  three  parts.  The  first  part  tells  what  the  angel 
did,  viz.:  "The  angel  of  the  Lord  declared  unto  Mary. 
And  she  conceived  of  the  Holy  Ghost."  After  saying  these 
words,  we  say  one  Hail  Mary  in  honor  of  the  angel's  message. 
The  second  part  tells  what  Mary  answered,  viz. :  "  Behold  the 
handmaid  of  the  Lord.  Be  it  done  unto  me  according  to  thy 
word."  We  say  another  Hail  Mary  in  honor  of  Mary's  con- 
sent. The  third  part  tells  how  Our  Lord  became  Man,  viz. : 
**  And  the  Word  was  made  flesh.  And  dwelt  among  us." 
The  **Word"  means  here  the  Second  Person  of  the  Blessed 
Trinity ;  and  "  made  flesh  "  means,  became  man.  Then  another 
Hail  Mary  is  said  in  honor  of  Our  Lord's  goodness  in  hum- 
bling Himself  so  much  for  our  sake.  After  these  three  parts 
we  say :  "  Pray  for  us,  0  Holy  Mother  of  God  !  that  we 
may  be  made  worthy  of  the  promises  of  Christ;"  and,  finally, 
we  say  a  prayer  in  honor  of  Our  Lord's  Incarnation,  Passion, 
and  Resurrection.  This  beautiful  prayer  is  said  three  times 
a  day  in  all  seminaries,  convents,  and  religious  houses.  The 
time  for  saying  it  is  made  known  by  the  ringing  of  a  bell. 


Tha  Apostles'  Ureea.  17 

called  the  ''Angelns  bell."  In  many  parishes  the  church 
bell  rings  out  the  Angelus.  In  Catholic  countries  the  people 
Btop  wherever  they  are  and  whatever  they  are  doing,  and  bow 
iug  their  heads,  say  the  Angelus  when  they  hear  its  bell.  It 
is  a  beautiful  practice  and  one  most  pleasing  to  our  Blessed 
Lord  and  His  holy  Mother.  Good  Catholics  should  not 
neglect  it. 

I  might  mention  here  another  kind  of  prayer  often  said 
in  honor  of  our  blessed  Mother.  It  is  the  Litany.  In  this 
form  of  prayer  we  call  Our  Lady  many  beautiful  names  which 
we  know  are  most  dear  to  her,  asking  her  after  each  one  to 
pray  for  us.  "We  address  her  first  by  names  reminding  her 
that  she  is  the  Mother  of  God  and  has  therefore  great  in- 
fluence with  her  divine  Son.  We  say:  Mother  of  Christ, 
Mother  of  Our  Creator,  Mother  of  Our  Redeemer,  etc.,  pray 
for  us.  Next  we  remind  her  that  she  is  a  virgin  and  should 
take  pity  on  us  who  are  exposed  to  so  many  temptations 
against  holy  purity.  We  call  her  virgin  most  pure,  virgin 
most  chaste,  etc.,  and  again  ask  her  to  pray  for  us.  Lastly 
we  call  her  all  those  names  that  could  induce  her  to  hear  us. 
We  say:  health  of  the  weak,  refuge  of  sinners,  help  of  Chris- 
tians, pray  for  us. 

In  addition  to  the  Litany  of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  we  have 
the  Litany  of  the  Holy  Name  of  Jesus,  the  Litany  of  the 
Blessed  Sacrament,  the  Litany  of  the  Sacred  Heart,  the 
Litany  of  St.  Joseph,  and  many  others — all  made  up  in  the 
same  form.  We  have  also  the  Litany  of  all  the  Saints,  in 
which  we  beg  the  help  and  prayers  of  the  different  classes 
of  saints — the  apostles,  martyrs,  virgins,  etc. 

THE  APOSTLES'   CREED. 

I  believe  in  God,  the  Father  Almighty,  Creator  of  heaven 
and  earth ;  and  in  Jesus  Christ,  His  only  Son,  Our  Lord,  Who 
was  conceived  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  born  of  the  Virgin  Mary, 
suffered  under  Pontius  Pilate,  was  crucified  ;  died,  and  was 
buried.  He  descended  into  hell ;  the  third  day  He  arose 
again  from  the  dead ;  He  ascended  into  heaven,  sitteth  at, 


18  The  Apostles'  Creed 

the  right  hand  of  God,  the  Father  Almighty ;  from  thbiici 
He  shall  come  to  judge  the  living  and  the  dead.  I  believe 
in  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  holy  Catholic  Church,  the  commun- 
ion of  saints,  the  forgiveness  of  sins,  the  resurrection  oi 
the  body,  and  the  life  everlasting.    Amen. 

A  creed  is  a  definite  list  or  summary  of  all  the  things  one 
believes.  The  "  Apostles' Creed  "  is  therefore  a  list  or  col« 
lection  of  all  the  truths  the  apostles  believed.  The  "  apostles" 
were  the  twelve  men  that  Our  Lord  selected  to  be  His  first 
bishops.  We  know  they  were  bishops  because  they  could 
ordain  priests  and  consecrate  other. bishops.  They  lived  with 
Our  Lord  like  a  little  family  during  the  three  and  a  half  years 
of  His  public  life;  they  went  with  Him  and  learned  from  Him 
w^herever  He  preached.  Besides  these  He  had  also  His  dis- 
ciples, i.e.,  followers  who  went  with  Him  frequently  but  did 
not  live  with  Him.  Our  Lord  wished  His  doctrine  to  be 
taught  to  all  the  people  of  the  world,  and  so  He  told  His 
apostles  that  they  must  go  over  the  whole  world  and  preach 
in  every  country.  During  the  life  of  Our  Lord  and  for  a  short 
time  after  His  death  they  preached  in  only  one  country,  viz., 
Palestine — now  called  the  Holy  Land — in  which  country  the 
Jews,  up  to  that  time  God's  chosen  people,  lived.  Since  the 
apostles  were  to  preach  to  all  nations,  the  time  came  when 
they  must  separate,  one  going  to  one  country,  and  another  to 
another.  In  those  days  there  were  no  steamboats  or  railroads, 
no  post-offices,  telegraph-offices,  telephones,  or  newspapers. 
If  the  apostles  wished  to  communicate  with  any  one  they  had 
either  to  go  to  the  place  themsplves  or  send  a  messenger.  By 
walking  or  riding  it  might  have  taken  them  months  or  years  in 
those  days  to  make  a  journey  that  we  can  make  now  in  a  few 
days;  and  for  an  answer  to  a  message  which  we  can  get  now  by 
telegraph  in  a  few  hours  they  might  have  had  to  wait  months. 
The  apostles  knew  of  all  these  inconveniences,  and  before  leav- 
ing the  places  they  were  in  pointed  out  the  chief  truths  that 
all  should  know  and  believe  before  receiving  baptism,  that 
Christian  teachers  who  should  come  after  them  might  neglect 
nothing — ^just  as  we  use  catechisms  containing  all  the  truths 


The  Apostles'  Creed.  19 

of  religion,  for  fear  the  teachers  might  forget  to  speak  of  some 
of  them.  There  are  "  twelve  articles"  or  parts  in  the  Apostles' 
Creed,  and  each  part  is  meant  to  refute  some  false  doctrine 
taught  before  the  time  of  the  apostles  or  while  they  lived. 
Thus  there  were  those — as  the  Romans — who  said  there  were 
many  gods;  others  said  not  God,  but  the  devil  created  the 
earth;  others  taught  that  Our  Lord  was  not  the  Son  of  God: 
ftnd  so  on  for  the  rest.  All  these  false  doctrines  are  denied 
and  the  truth  professed  when  we  say  the  Apostles'  Creed. 

Just  as  in  the  Lord's  Prayer  we  do  not  see  all  its  mean- 
ing at  first,  so  in  the  Apostles'  Creed  we  find  many  beau- 
tiful things  only  after  thinking  carefully  over  every  word  it 
contains. 

"  I  believe,"  without  the  slightest  doubt  or  suspicion  that  I 
might  be  wrong. 

"  In  God "  by  the  grace  that  He  gives  me  to  believe  and 
have  full  confidence  in  Him. 

"God,"  to  show  that  there  is  only  one. 

«  The  Father,"  because  He  brought  everything  into  exist- 
ence and  keeps  it  so  (see  Explanation  of  the  Lord's  Prayer). 

"  Almighty,"  i.e.,  having  all  might  or  power;  because  He 
can  do  whatever  He  wishes.  He  can  make  or  destroy  by 
merely  wishing. 

"Creator."  To  create  means  to  make  out  of  nothing. 
God  alone  can  create.  When  a  carpenter  makes  a  table,  ha 
must  have  wood;  when  a  tailor  makes  a  coat,  he  must  have 
cloth.  They  are  only  makers  and  not  creators.  God  needs 
no  material  or  tools.  When  we  make  anything,  we  make 
it  part  by  part;  but  God  makes  the  whole  at  once.  He 
simply  wills  and  it  is  made.  Thus  He  said  in  the  beginning 
of  the  world :  "  Let  there  be  light;  and  light  was  made."  For 
example,  suppose  I  wanted  a  piano.  If  I  could  say,  "  Let 
there  be  a  piano,"  and  it  immediately  sprang  up  without  any 
other  effort  on  my  part,  although  neither  the  wood,  the  iron, 
the  wire,  the  ivory,  nor  anything  else  in  it  ever  existed  till  I 
Raid,  "  Let  there  be  a  piano,"  then  it  could  be  said  I  created 
i,  piano.    No  one  could  do  f.his,  for  Gnrl  alone  has  such  power. 


20  The  Apostles'  Creed, 

"Heaven  and  earth"  and  everything  Wv,  j»u  see  or  kno^ 
of. 

"Jesus  Christ."  Our  Lord  is  called  by  many  names,  but 
you  must  not  be  confused  by  them,  for  they  all  mean  the  sama 
person,  and  are  given  only  to  remind  us  of  some  particulai 
thing  connected  with  Our  Lord.  He  is  called  "  Jesus,"  which 
signifies  Saviour,  and  "  Christ,"  which  means  anointed.  He  \i 
called  the  "  Second  Person  of  the  Blessed  Trinity,"  and  when 
we  call  Him  "Our  Lord,"  we  mean  the  Second  Person  of  the 
Blessed  Trinity  after  He  became  man.  He  is  called  the  "  Mes- 
sias"  and  the  *'Son  of  David"  to  show  that  He  is  the  Ee- 
deemer  promised  to  the  Jews.  Also  at  the  end  of  all  our 
litanies  He  is  called  the  "  Lamb  of  God,"  because  He  was  so 
meek  and  humble  and  suffered  death  so  patiently.  In  the 
Litany  of  the  Holy  Name  of  Jesus  we  will  fird  many  other 
beautiful  names  of  Our  Lord,  all  having  their  special  signifi- 
cation. 

"  His  only  Son,"  to  show  that  God,  the  First  Person  of  the 
Blessed  Trinity,  was  His  real  Father.  We  are  called  God's 
children,  but  we  are  only  His  created  and  adopted  children. 

••Who  was  conceived,"  i.e..  He  began  to  exist  by  the 
power  of  the  Holy  Ghost  in  the  womb  of  His  Mother,  the 
Blessed  Virgin. 

"  Suffered."  We  shall  see  in  the  explanation  of  the  Pas* 
sion  what  He  suffered. 

"  Under  "  means  here,  at  the  time  a  man  named  Pontius 
Pilate  was  governor.  If  any  one  were  put  to  death  to-day  in 
this  country,  we  should  say  he  was  executed  under  Governor 
or  President  so-and-so.  •*  Crucified,"  i.e.,  nailed  to  a  cross 
We  say  "died,"  because  Our  Lord  is  the  Giver  of  Life^ 
and  no  one  could  take  His  life  away  unless  He  allowed  it. 
Therefore  we  say  He  died,  and  not  that  He  was  killed,  tc 
show  that  He  died  by  His  own  free  will  and  not  against  Hie 
will. 

"Was  buried."  This  we  say  to  show  that  He  was  really 
dead ;  because  if  you  bury  a  man  who  is  not  really  dead  he 
mu?t  die. 


The  Apostles'  Creed,  21 

"  Hell  **  here  does  not  mean  the  place  where  the  damned 
are,  but  a  place  called  **  Limbo."  You  know  that  when  our 
first  parents  sinned,  heaven  was  closed  against  them  and  us, 
and  no  liuman  being  could  be  admitted  into  it  till  after  the 
death  of  Our  Lord;  for  He  by  His  death  would  redeem  us^ 
make  amends  for  our  fall  and  once  more  open  for  us  heaven. 
Now  from  the  time  Adam  sinned  till  the  time  Christ  died  is 
about  four  thousand  years.  During  that  time  there  were  at 
least  somegood  men,  like  Abraham,  Isaac,  Jacob,  Moses,  David, 
and  others,  in  the  world,  who  tried  to  serve  God  as  best  they 
could — keeping  all  the  divine  laws  known  to  them,  and  believ- 
ing that  the  Messias  would  some  day  come  to  redeem  them. 
When,  therefore,  they  died  they  could  not  go  to  heaven, 
because  it  was  closed  against  them.  They  could  not  go  to 
hell,  because  they  were  good  men.  Neither  could  they  go  to 
purgatory,  because  they  would  have  to  suffer  there.  Where 
could  they  go  ?  God  in  His  goodness  provided  a  place  for 
them — Limbo — where  they  could  stay  without  suffering  till 
Our  Lord  reopened  heaven.  Therefore,  while  Our  Lord's 
body  lay  in  the  sepulchre.  His  soul  went  down  into  Limbo,  to 
tell  these  good  men  that' heaven  was  now  opened  for  them, 
and  that  at  His  ascension  He  would  take  them  there  with 
Him. 

"  The  third  day.'*  Not  three  full  days,  but  the  parts  of 
three  days,  viz.,  Friday  afternoon,  Saturday,  and  Sunday 
morning. 

"  He  arose  **  by  His  own  power:  and  this  was  the  greatest 
of  all  Our  Lord's  miracles.  Some  others,  like  the  prophets 
and  apostles,  have,  by  the  power  God  gave  them,  raised  the 
dead  to  life;  but  no  dead  person  ever  raised  himself.  Our 
Lord  is  the  first  and  only  one  to  do  this,  and  by  so  doing 
showed  they  could  not  take  away  His  life  unless  He  wished 
to  give  it  up;  for  since  He  could  always  take  back  His  life, 
how  could  they  destroy  it  ? 

"  He  ascended  "  forty  days  after  His  resurrection. 

''Right  hand  of  God."  We  know  God  is  a  pure  spirit 
having  no  body;  and  if  He  hns  r>o  bod  v.  He  can  have  ne 


22  The  Apostles'  Creed, 

hands.  Why  then  do  we  say  riglit  hand?  When  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  United  States  invites  any  one  to  dine  at  his  liouse, 
he  makes  the  invited  guest  sit  at  his  right  hand,  and  thus 
shows  his  respect  by  giving  him  the  place  of  highest  honor. 

When  Our  Lord  ascended  into  heaven,  He  went  up  in  the 
human  body  He  had  upon  earth,  and  His  Father  placed  Him 
as  man,  in  His  glorified  body,  in  the  place,  after  His  [the 
Father's]  own,  the  highest  in  heaven;  but  remember,  only  as 
man,  because  as  God  He  is  equal  to  His  Father  in  all  things. 

"  From  thence" — that  is,  from  the  right  hand  of  God . 

"  To  judge."  To  examine  them,  to  pronounce  sentence 
upon  them  ;  to  reward  them  in  heaven  or  punish  them  in 
hell. 

''The  living  and  the  dead."  We  may  take  this  in  a 
double  sense.  As  the  general  judgment  will  come  suddenly 
and  when  not  expected,  all  will  be  going  on  in  the  world  as 
usual — some  attending  to  business,  others  taking  their  ease 
as  they  do  now,  or  as  they  were  doing  when  the  deluge  came 
upon  them.  Just  when  the  judgment  is  about  to  take  place, 
God  will  destroy  the  earth;  and  then  all  those  living  in  the 
world  will  perish  with  its  destruction  and  then  be  judged. 
The  "  dead  "  means,  therefore,  all  those  who  died  before  the 
destruction  of  the  world,  and  the  "  living  "  all  those  who 
were  on  earth  when  the  time  of  its  destruction  came.  Or 
the  "living"  may  mean  also  those  in  a  state  of  grace,  and 
the  "dead"  those  in  mortal  sin;  for  God  will  judge  both 
classes. 

"Holy  Ghost,"  i.e.,  the  Third  Person  of  the  Blessed 
Trinity.  Ghost  is  an  old  word  meaning  spirit.  When  per- 
sons say  that  a  ghost  appeared,  they  mean  that  the  spirit  of 
some  dead  person  appeared.  These  stories  about  ghosts  are 
told  generally  to  frighten  children  or  timid  persons.  If 
those  who  thought  they  saw  a  ghost  always  examined  what 
they  saw,  they  would  find  that  the  supposed  ghost  was 
something  very  natural ;  probably  a  bush  swayed  by  the 
wind,  or  a  stray  animal,  or  perhaps  some  person  trying  to 
frighten  them.    Ghost  here  does  not  mean   the  spirit  of  a 


TJie  Apostles'  Creed.  23 

dead  person,  but  the  Holy  Spirit,  which  is  the  proper  name 
for  the  Third  Person  of  the  Blessed  Trinity. 

"The  communion  of  saints."  There  are  three  parts  in 
the  Church.  We  have,  first,  the  Church  Militant,  i.e.,  the 
fighting  Church,  made  up  of  all  the  faithful  upon  earth,  who 
are  still  fighting  for  their  salvation.  The  Hoi}'  Scripture 
tells  us  our  life  upon  earth  is  a  warfare.  We  have  three 
enemies  to  fight.  First,  the  devil,  who  by  every  means 
wishes  to  keep  us  out  of  heaven — the  place  he  once  enjoyed 
himself.  The  devil  knows  well  the  haj)piness  of  heaven,  and 
does  not  wish  us  to  have  what  he  cannot  have  himself;  just  as 
you  sometimes  see  persons  who,  through  their  own  fault, 
have  lost  their  situation  trying  to  keep  others  out  of  it. 

Our  second  enemy  is  the  world.  This  does  not  mean  the 
earth  with  all  its  beauty  and  riches,  but  the  bad  people  in  the 
world  with  their  false  doctrines;  some  telling  us  there  is  no 
God,  heaven,  or  hell,  others  that  we  should  pay  no  attention 
to  the  teaching  of  the  Church  or  the  laws  of  God,  and  advising 
us  by  word  and  example  to  resist  our  lawful  superiors  in  Church 
or  State  and  give  free  indulgence  to  our  sinful  passions. 

The  third  enemy  is  our  own  flesh.  By  this  we  mean  our 
concupiscence,  that  is,  our  passions,  evil  inclinations,  and 
propensity  to  do  wrong.  When  God  first  created  man,  the 
soul  was  always  master  over  the  body,  and  the  body  obedient 
to  the  soul.  After  Adam  sinned,  the  body  rebelled  against 
the  soul  and  tried  to  lead  it  into  sin.  The  body  is  the  part 
of  our  nature  that  makes  us  like  the  brute  animals,  while  the 
soul  makes  us  like  to  God  and  the  angels. 

When  we  sin,  it  is  generally  to  satisfy  the  body  craving  for 
what  it  has  not,  or  for  that  which  is  forbidden.  Why  did  God 
leave  this  concupiscence  in  us?  He  left  it,  first,  to  keep  us 
humble,  by  reminding  us  of  our  former  sins,  and,  secondly, 
that  we  might  overcome  it  and  have  a  reward  for  the  victory. 

The  second  branch  of  the  Church  is  called  the  Church 
Saflfering.  It  is  made  up  of  all  those  who  have  gone  through 
this  world  and  are  now  in  purgatory. 

Some  of  them  while  on  ea,rth  fought  well,  but  not  as  well 


24  3f7ie  Apostles'  Creed, 

as  they  could  have  done;  they  yielded  to  some  temptations, 
fell  into  some  small  sins,  received  some  slight  wounds  from 
their  spiritual  enemies,  or  they  have  not  satisfied  God  entirely 
for  the  temporal  guilt  due  to  their  great  sins;  therefore  they  are 
in  purgatory  till  they  can  be  completely  purified  from  all  their 
sins  and  admitted  into  heaven. 

The  last  or  third  branch  of  the  Church  is  called  the 
Church  Triumphant,  and  is  made  up  of  the  angels  and  all 
those  who  have  lived  at  one  time  upon  earth  and  who  are 
now  in  heaven  with  God,  enjoying  tlieir  rewards  for  over- 
coming their  spiritual  enemies  and  serving  God  while  upon 
earth.  They  are  triumphant  or  rejoicing  because  they  have 
reached  their  heavenly  home. 

You  must  not  think  that  those  only  are  saints  who  have 
been  canonized  by  the  Church  and  whose  names  are  known 
to  us;  for  all  in  heaven  are  saints,  as  we  also  shall  be  if 
admitted  into  that  happy  eternity.  God  wishes  all  to  be 
saints,  for  He  Avishes  all  to  be  saved.  You  know  we  can 
pray  to  the  saints  and  ask  their  help  and  prayers;  but  how 
could  we  know  that  certain  men  or  women  are  really  in 
heaven?  We  can  know  it  when  the  Church  canonizes  them,, 
and  thus  gives  proof  that  they  were  great  spiritual  heroes  in 
the  service  of  God  and  can  be  more  confidently  appealed  to 
on  account  of  their  eminent  sanctity  and  powerful  interces- 
sion. 

Therefore  the  Church  by  canonization  tells  us  for  certain 
that  such  and  such  persons  are  truly  in  heaven.  But  might 
not  the  Church  be  deceived  like  ourselves? 

No!  for  Christ  has  promised  to  be  always  with  His  Church, 
and  the  Holy  Ghost  is  ever  directing  her,  so  that  she  cannot 
err  in  faith  .  -  .orals.  If  the  Church  made  us  pray  to  per- 
sons who  are  not  saints,  she  would  fall  into  the  worst  of 
errors,  and  Our  Lord  would  have  failed  to  keep  His  promise 
— a  saying  that  would  be  blasphemous,  for  Christ,  being  God, 
is  infinitely  true  and  could  not  deceive  or  be  deceived.  To 
canonize,  therefore,  does  not  mean  to  make  a  saint,  but  to 
declare  to  the  whole  world  that  such  a  one  was  a  saint  while 


The  Apostles"  Creed,  iiS 

upon  earth.  After  death  we  cannot  merit,  so  our  reward  in 
heaven  will  be  just  what  we  have  secured  up  till  the  moment 
of  our  death ;  hence  holiness  is  acquired  in  the  Church 
Militant. 

How  does  the  Church  canonize  a  saint  ?  Let  us  suppose 
some  good  man  dies,  and  all  his  neighbors  talk  about  his 
holy  life,  how  much  lie  did  for  the  poor,  how  he  prayed, 
fasted,  and  mortified  himself.  All  these  accounts  of  his  life 
are  collected  and  sent  to  Rome,  to  the  Holy  Father  or  to  the 
cardinals  appointed  by  him  to  examine  such  statements. 
These  accounts  must  show  that  the  good  man  practised  virtue 
in  a  more  than  ordinary  manner,  that  he  either  performed 
some  miracles  while  he  lived,  or  that  God  granted  miracles 
after  his  death  through  his  intercession. 

These  accounts  are  not  examined  immediately  after  his 
death,  but  sometimes  after  a  lapse  of  fifty  years  or  more,  so 
that  people  might  not  exaggerate  his  good  works  because  they 
knew  him  personally. 

When  these  accounts  are  examined,  on«  is  appointed  to 
prevent,  if  he  can,  the  canonization.  He  is  sometimes  called 
the  devil's  advocate,  because  It  is  his  business  to  find  fault 
with  all  the  accounts  and  miracles,  and  prove  them  false  if 
possible.  This  is  done  to  make  certain  that  all  the  accounts 
are  true  and  the  miracles  real.  If  everything  .is  found  as 
represented,  then  the  good  man  is  declared  venerable,  later 
beatified,  i.e.,  called  blessed,  and  still  later  canonized,  i.e., 
declared  a  saint.  If  he  is  only  beatified,  he  can  be  honored 
publicly  only  in  certain  places  or  by  certain  persons;  but  if 
he  is  canonized,  he  can  be  honored  throughout  the  whole 
Church  by  all  the  faithful. 

Thus  we  understand  the  three  branches  ■,  ^];ie  one  true 
Church — the  Church  Militant,  i.e.,  all  those  who  are  on  earth 
trying  to  save  their  souls;  the  Church  SufPering,  those  in 
purgatory,  having  their  souls  purified  for  heaven;  and  the 
Church  Triumphant,  those  already  in  heaven. 

The  "communion  of  saints"  means  that  these  three 
branches  of  the  Church  can  help  one  another.     We  help  the 


26  The  JpostW  Creed. 

souls  in  purgatory  by  our  prayers  and  good  works,  and  tha 
saints  in  heaven  pray  for  us.  But  "communion  of  saints" 
means  still  more.  Let  us  take  an  example.  Suppose  there 
are  in  a  family,  living  together,  a  mother  and  three  sons. 
The  eldest  son  earns  a  large  salary,  the  second  son  enough  to 
pupport  himself,  and  the  youngest  very  little.  They  give 
their  earnings  to  their  mother,  who  from  the  combined 
amounts  provides  for  the  wants  of  all  and  draws  from  the 
large  salary  of  the  eldest  to  supply  the  needs  of  the  youngest. 
Thus  he  who  has  too  little  for  his  support  is — through  his 
mother — aided  by  the  one  who  has  more  tlian  he  needs. 
Now,  the  Church  is  our  mother,  and  some  of  her  children^ 
the  great  saints — were  rich  in  good  works  and  did  more  than 
was  necessary  to  gain  heaven,  while  others  did  not  do  enough. 
Then  our  mother,  the  Church,  draws  from  the  abundant 
satisfaction  of  her  rich  children  to  help  those  who  are  poor  in 
merit  and  good  works.  The  greatest  treasure  she  has  to  draw 
from  for  that  purpose  is  the  more  than  abundant  merits  of 
Our  Lord  and  the  superabundant  satisfaction  of  the  Blessed 
Virgin  and  the  greatest  saints.  Our  Lord  could  have  re- 
deemed us  all  by  the  least  suffering,  and  yet  He  suffered 
dreadful  torments,  and  even  shed  His  blood  and  died  for  us. 
The  Blessed  Virgin  never  sinned,  yet  she  performed  many 
good  works  and  offered  many  prayers.  Therefore  "  communion 
of  saints  "  means,  also,  that  we  all  share  in  the  merits  of  Christ 
and  in  the  superabundant  satisfaction  of  the  Blessed  Virgin 
and  of  the  saints;  also  in  the  prayers  and  good  works  of  the 
Church  and  of  her  faithful  and  pious  children. 

"The  forgiveness  of  sins/  i.e.,  by  the  Sacrament  of  Pen- 
ance, tlirough  the  power  that  God  gave  His  priests  ;  also  by 
Baptism. 

"The  resurrection  of  the  body,'*  i.e.,  on  the  last  day 
(Matt.  xxiv.  29  ;  Luke  xxi.  25).  When  on  the  last  day, 
at  the  general  judgment,  God's  angel  sounds  the  great 
trumpet,  all  the  dead  will  adse  again  and  come  to  judg- 
ment, in  the  same  bodies  they  had  while  living.  But  you  will 
say  :  If  their  bodies  ax-e  reduced  to  a&hes  and  mixed  with 


The  Apostles'  Creed.  27 

the  earth,  or  if  Darts  of  them  are  in  one  place  and  parts  in 
another,  how  is  this  possible  ?  Very  easily,  with  God.  If  He 
in  the  beginning  could  make  all  the  parts  out  of  nothing, 
with  how  much  ease  can  He  collect  them  scattered  here  and 
there !  When  God  made  man  He  gave  him  a  body  and  a 
soul,  and  wished  them  never  to  be  separated.  Man  was  to 
live  bere  upon  earth  for  a  time,  and  then  be  taken  up  into 
lieaven,  body  and  soul,  as  Our  Lord  is  there  now.  But  wben 
man  sinned,  in  punishment  God  commanded  that  he  should  die; 
i.e.,  that  these  two  dear  friends,  the  body  and  the  soul,  should 
be  separated  for  a  time.  Death  is  caused  by  tlie  separation 
of  the  soul  from  the  body.  The  body  and  soul  together  make 
a  man,  and  neither  one  alone  can  be  called  a  man.  A  dead 
body  is  only  part  of  a  man.  At  the  resurrection  every  soul 
will  come  from  heaven,  purgatorj'^,  or  hell,  to  seek  its  own 
body  ;  they  will  then  be  united  again  as  they  were  in  life, 
never  to  be  separated — to  be  happy  together  in  heaven  if 
they  have  been  good  upon  earth,  or  missrable  together  in  hell 
if  they  had  been  bad  upon  earth. 

"  Life  everlasting  " — either,  as  we  have  said,  in  heaven  or 
hell.  There  was  a  time  when  we  did  not  exist  ;  but  it  can. 
never  be  said  of  us  again  we  do  not  exist.  When  once  we 
have  been  created,  we  shall  live  as  long  as  God  Himself,  i.e., 
forever.  When  we  have  lived  a  thousand  years  for  every  drop 
of  water  in  the  ocean  ;  a  thousand  years  for  every  grain  of 
sand  on  the  seashore  ;  a  thousand  years  for  every  blade  of 
grass  and  every  leaf  on  the  earth,  we  shall  still  be  existing. 
How  short  a  time,  therefore,  is  a  hundred  'years,  even  if  we 
live  so  long — and  few  do — compared  with  all  these  millions 
of  years  !  And  yet  it  depends  upon  the  time  we  live  here 
whether  all  these  millions  of  years  in  the  next  world  will  be 
for  us  years  of  happiness  or  of  misery.  The  whole  life  of  a 
man  extends  through  the  two  worlds,  viz.,  from  the  moment 
of  his  creation  through  all  eternity  ;  and  surely  the  little 
while  he  stays  upon  earth  must  seem  very  short  when,  after 
spending  a  million  of  years  in  the  next  world,  he  looks  back 
to  his  earthly  life.     There  is  a  ^opd  examole  to  illustrate 


28  The  Cmjlfeor, 

this.  If  you  stand  on  a  railroad,  and  look  away  down  the 
track  for  about  a  mile,  it  will  seem  to  you  that  the  rails 
come  nearer  and  nearer,  till  at  last  they  touch.  It  seems  so 
on  account  of  the  distance,  for  where  they  seem  to  touch  they 
are  just  as  far  apart  as  where  you  are  standing.  So,  also, 
when  you  look  back  from  eternity,  the  day  of  your  birth  and 
the  day  of  your  death  will  seem  to  coincide,  and  your  life  on 
Uarth  appear  nothing.  Then,  if  you  are  among  the  lost  souls^ 
you  will  think.  What  a  fool  I  was  to  make  myself  suffer  all  this 
long  eternity  for  that  silly  hit  of  earthly  pleasure,  which  is 
of  no  benefit  to  me  now  I  And  this  thought  will  serve  only  to 
make  you  more  miserable.  But,  on  the  other  hand,  if  you 
look  back  from  a  happy  eternity,  you  will  wonder  at  God's 
goodness  in  giving  you  so  much  happiness  for  so  short  a 
service  upon  earth. 

THE  CONFITEOR. 

'  I  confess  to  Almighty  God,  to  blessed  Mary  ever  Virgin, 
to  blessed  Michael  the  Archangel,  to  blessed  John  the 
Baptist,  to  the  holy  apostles  Peter  and  Paul,  and  to  all 
the  saints,  that  I  have  sinned  exceedingly,  in  thought, 
word,  and  deed,  through  my  fault,  through  my  fault, 
through  my  most  grievous  faxilt.  Therefore  I  beseech 
blessed  Mary  ever  Virgin,  blessed  Michael  the  Arch- 
angel, blessed  John  the  Baptist,  the  holy  apostles 
Peter  and  Paul,  and  all  the  saints,  to  pray  to  the  Lord 
our  God  for  me. 

May  the  Almighty  God  have  mercy  on  me,  forgive  me 
my  sins,  and  bring  me  to  everlasting  life.    Aman. 

May  the  Almighty  and  merciful  Lord  grant  me  pardon, 
absolution,  and  remission  of  all  my  sins.    Amen. 

This  is  another  beautiful  prayer.  In  it  we  can  imagine 
that  we  are  permitted  to  enter  heaven.  What  do  we  see  there  ? 
God,  the  Blessed  Virgin,  the  thousands  of  angels,  the  apos- 
tles, all  the  saints,  martyrs,  confessors,  doctors,  and  virgins. 
They  cease  singing  God's  praises,  as  we  enter,  and  fix  their 
eyes  upon  us.  Our  guardian  angel  conducts  us  before  the 
great  throne  of  God^  and  we  kneel  down  in  the  presence  of 


The  Conjiteor.  29 

fche  whole  oourt  of  heaven,  to  acknowledge  our  sins  and 
faults,  while  all  listen  attentively.  Touched  by  so  sublime  a 
sight  and  the  thought  of  having  offended  a  God  of  so  much 
glory,  we  begin  our  accusation  of  ourselves.  We  fix  our  eyes 
first  upon  God,  and  say  :  "  I  confess,"  i.e.,  accuse  myself, 
"to  Almighty  God."  Then  we  look  upon  the  rest  of 
the  blessed,  and  say  :  "  to  the  blessed  Mary  ever  Virgin,"  etc. 
Thus  we  call  the  whole  court  of  heaven  to  be  a  witness  of 
the  fact  that  we  "have  sinned,"  not  lightly,  but  "  exceeding- 
ly," i.e.,  very  greatly,  and  in  three  ways  :  "in  thought,"  by 
thinking  of  things  sinful  and  forbidden  ;  *'in  word,"  by  lies, 
curses,  slanders,  etc.  ;  "  in  deed,"  by  every  bad  action  that 
we  have  committed  ;  and  each  of  us  can  say  :  I  have  done  all 
this  "  through  my  fault,"  i.e.,  willingly  and  deliberately  ;  and 
it  was  not  a  small  fault,  but  an  exceeding  great  fault,  because 
God  was  helping  me  by  His  grace  to  overcome  temptations 
and  avoid  bad  thoughts,  Avords,  and  actions,  and  I  would  not 
accept  His  help,  but  willingly  did  what  was  wrong.  What 
am  I  to  do,  therefore  ?  Will  God  pardon  all  these  offences  if  I 
alone  ask  Him,  seeing  that  all  the  angels  and  saints  know 
that  I  have  thus  offended  Him  ?  What  shall  I  do  ?  I  will  ask 
them  to  help  me  by  their  prayers,  and  to  beg  God's  pardon  for 
me.  He  may  grant  their  prayers,  especially  those  of  the 
Blessed  Mother  and  of  the  saints,  when  He  would  not  grant 
mine.  "  Therefore  I  beseech  the  Blessed  Mary  ever  Virgin," 
etc.,  "  to  pray  to  the  Lord  our  God  for  me." 

When  we  kneel  down  to  say  the  Confitcor,  if  we  could 
imagine  what  I  have  just  described  to  take  place,  how  well 
we  should  say  it!  AVith  what  attention,  respect,  and  sorrow 
we  should  ask  the  prayers  of  the  saints!  When  we  say  the 
Confiteor,  and  indeed  any  prayer,  we  say  it  in  the  presence 
of  God,  and  of  the  whole  court  of  heaven,  though  we  are 
not  in  heaven  and  cannot  see  God.  The  angels  and  saints 
do  hear  us  and  will  pray  for  us.  AVlien,  therefore,  you  are 
saying  the  Confiteor,  imagine  that  you  see  all  I  have  described^ 
and  you  will  never  say  it  badly. . 


-**0  An  Act  of  Uojpe, 


AN  ACT  OF  FAITH. 

O  my  God !  1.  firmly  believe  that  Thou  art  one  God  in 
three  liviue  persons,  Father,  Son,  and  Holy  Ghost ;  I  believe 
that  Thy  divine  Son  became  man,  and  died  lor  our  sins,  and 
that  He  will  come  to  judge  the  living  and  the  dead.  I 
believe  these  and  all  the  truths  which  the  Holy  Catholic 
Church  teaches,  because  Thou  hast  revealed  them,  Whc 
canst  neither  deceive  nor  be  deceived. 

An  "act"  i.e.,  a  profession,  of  faitli.  The  whole  substance 
of  the  act  of  faith  is  contained  in  this:  I  believe  all  that  God 
has  revealed  and  the  Catholic  Church  teaches.  We  might 
mention  one  by  one  all  the  truths  God  has  revealed,  i.e-,  made 
known  to  us,  and  all  the  truths  the  Catholic  Church  teaches 
as  revealed  by  God.  For  example,  we  might  say,  I  believe  in 
the  Holy  Trinity,  in  the  Incarnation  of  Our  Lord,  in  the  Holy 
Eucharist,  in  the  Immaculate  Conception  of  the  Blessed 
Virgin,  in  the  infallibility  of  the  Pope,  and  so  on,  till  we 
wi'ite  an  act  of  faith  twenty  pages  long,  and  yet  it  would  all 
be  contained  in  the  words:  I  believe  all  God  has  revealed  and 
the  Catholic  Church  teaches.  Hence  we  find  in  prayer-books 
and  catechisms  acts  of  faith  differing  in  length  and  words, 
but  they  are  all  the  same  in  substance  and  have  the  same 
meaning.  The  act  of  faith  in  our  Catechism  gives  a  few  of 
the  chief  trutlis  revealed,  that  it  may  be  neither  too  short  nor 
too  long,  and  that  all  may  learn  the  ss,me  words. 

AN  ACT  OF  HOPE. 

O  my  God!  relying  on  Thy  infinite  goodness  and  prom 
isos,  I  hope  to  obtain  pardon  of  my  sins,  the  help  of  Thy 
grace,  and  life  everlasting,  through  the  merits  of  Jesus 
Christ,  my  Lord  and  Redeemer. 

The  substance  of  this  act  Is:  I  hope  for  heaven  and  the 
means  to  obtain  it.  The  means  by  which  I  will  obtain  it  are 
the  pardon  of  my  sins  by  God,  and  the  grace  which  He  will 
give  me  in  the  reception  of  the  sacraments  and  in  prayer  ^  bj 


An  Act  of  Love.  31 

which  grace  1  will  be  able  to  know  Him,  love  Him,  and  serve 
Him,  and  thus  come  to  be  with  Him  forever.  Here  again  we 
could  make  a  long  act  by  mentioning  all  the  things  we  hope 
for;  viz.,  a  good  death,  a  favorable  judgment,  a  place  in 
heaven,  etc. 

AN  ACT  OF  LOVE. 

O  my  God!  I  love  Thee  above  all  things,  with  mj 
whole  heart  and  soul,  because  Thou  art  all-good  and 
worthy  of  all  love.  I  love  my  neighbor  as  myself  for 
the  love  of  Thee.  I  forgive  all  who  have  injured  me,  and 
ask  pardon,  of  all  whom  I  have  injured. 

The  substance  of  this  act  is :  I  love  God  above  all  things 
for  His  own  goodness,  and  my  neighbor  as  myself  for  the  sake 
of  God.  An  act  of  love  and  an  act  of  charity  are  the  same 
thing  with  different  names.  We  are  accustomed  to  call  such 
things  as  the  giving  of  alms  or  help  to  the  poor,  the  doing  of 
some  good  work  that  we  are  not  bound  to  do  for  another, 
charity.  Surely  there  are  many  motives  that  may  induce 
persons  to  help  others  in  their  distress;  but  what  is  the  chief 
Christian  motive,  if  it  be  not  the  love  we  boar  our  brother- 
man  because  he  is,  like  ourselves,  a  child  of  God,  and  the  desire 
we  have  to  obey  God,  Who  wishes  us  to  help  the  needy?  The 
Bufferings  of  others  excite  our  pity,  and  the  more  we  love 
them  the  more  sorry  are  we  to  see  them  suffer.  Thanks  to 
God  for  all  His  mercies  to  us;  He  might  have  made  us,  instead 
of  this  man,  poor  and  in  suffering,  but  He  lias  spared  us  and 
afflicted  him;  we  know  not  why  God  has  done  so,  and  there- 
fore we  help  him,  moved  by  these  considerations  even  when 
we  feel  he  is  not  deserving  of  the  help,  because  we  know  his 
unworthiness  will  not  prevent  God  from  rewarding  our  good 
intention.  We  may  be  charitable  to  our  neighbor  by  saying 
nothing  hurtful  about  him,  by  never  telling  his  faults  without 
necessity,  etc.  Therefore  rea.l  ^^harity,  in  its  widest  sense,  and 
love  are  just  the  same. 


32  An  Act  of  Contrition, 


AN  ACT  OF  CONTRITION. 

O  my  God!  I  am  heartily  sorry  for  liaving  cffended 
Thee,  and  I  detest  all  my  sins,  because  I  dread  the  loss 
of  heaven  and  the  pains  of  hell,  but  most  of  all  because 
they  ofiend  Thee,  my  God,  Who  art  all-good  and  deserv- 
ing of  all  my  love.  I  firmly  resolve,  with  the  help  oJ 
Thy  grace.-  to  confess  my  sins,  to  do  penance,  and  to 
amend  my  life. 

The  substance  of  this  act  is :  0  my  God !  I  am  very  sorry 
for  all  my  sins,  because  by  them  I  have  offended  Thee,  and, 
with  Thy  help,  I  will  never  sin  again.  It  is  well  to  know 
what  the  acts  contain  in  substance,  for  we  can  use  these  short 
forms  as  iispirations  during  the  day,  when  we  probably  would 
not  think  of  saying  the  long  forms.  A  fuller  explanation  of 
the  qualities  of  our  contrition  will  be  given  in  Lesson  Eighteen. 

THE  BLESSING  BEFORE  MEALS. 

Bless  us,  O  Lord,  and  these  Thy  gifts  which  we  are  to 
receive  from  Thy  bounty,  through  Christ  Our  Lord.   Amen. 

GRACE  AFTER  MEALS. 

We  give  Thee  thanks  for  all  Thy  benefits,  O  Almighty 
God,  Who  livest  and  reignest  forever.  And  may  the  souls 
of  the  faithful  departed,  through  the  mercy  of  God,  rest 
in  peace.    Amen. 

"  Orace  "  means  thanks.  We  saw  in  the  explanation  of  the 
Our  Father  how  God  provides  us  with  all  we  need,  and  most 
frequently  with  food.  It  is  the  least  we  can  do,  therefore,  to 
thank  Him  for  it,  when  it  is  just  placed  before  us.  We  should 
thank  Him  also  after  we  have  eaten  it  and  found  it  good, 
pleasing,  and  refreshing.  When  God  provides  us  with  food 
He  thereby  makes  a  kind  of  promise  that  He  will  allow  us  to 
Uve  awhile  longer  and  give  us  strength  to  serve  Him.  How 
shameful  it  is,  th.:?,  to  turn  God's  gifts  into  a  means  of  offend* 


Grace  after  Meals,  33 

ing  Him,  as  some  do  by  the  sin  of  gluttony!  Again,  it  is  very 
wrong  to  murmur  and  be  dissatisfied  with  what  God  gives  us. 
He  does  not  owe  us  anything,  and  need  not  give  unless  He 
wishes.  What  would  you  think  of  a  beggar  of  this,  kind? 
He  comes  to  your  door  hungry,  and  you,  instead  of  simply 
giving  him  some  bread  to  appease  his  hunger,  take  him  into 
your  house  and  give  him  a  good  dinner,  new  clothing,  and 
some  money.  Now,  instead  of  being  thankful,  suppose  he 
should  complain  because  you  did  not  give  him  a  better  din- 
ner, finer  clothing,  and  more  money,  and  should  look  cross 
and  dissatisfied;  what  would  you  think  of  him  ?  Would  you 
not  be  tempted  to  turn  the  ungrateful  fellow  out  of  your 
house,  with  an  order  never  to  come  again,  telling  him  he  de- 
served to  starve  for  his  ingratitude  ?  W*  are  not  quite  as 
ungrateful  as  the  beggar  when  we  neglect  grace  at  meals, 
because  in  saying  our  daily  prayers  we  thank  God  for  all  His 
gifts,  our  food  included,  and  hence  it  is  not  a  sin  to  neglect 
grace  at  meals.  But  do  we  not  show  some  ingratitude  when 
we  murmur,  complain,  and  are  dissatisfied  with  our  food, 
clothing,  or  homes  ?  God,  even  when  we  are  ungrateful,  still 
gives  ;  hence  His  wonderful  goodness  and  mercy  to  us. 

THE  MANNER  IN  WHICH  A  LAY  PERSON  IS  TO  BAPTIZE 
IN  CASE  OP  NECESSITY. 

Pour  common  -water  on  the  head  or  face  of  the  person 
to  be  baptized,  and  say  while  pouring  it :  "I  baptize  thee, 
in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the 
Holy  Ghost." 

N.  B.  Any  person  of  either  sex  who  has  reached  the 
use  of  reason  can  baptize  in  case  of  necessity. 


CATECHISM. 


Questions  marked  *  are  not  in  No.  1  Catechism. 

"A 

A  catechism  is  any  book  ma4e  up  in  question  and  answb. 
form,  no  matter  what  it  treats  of.  We  have  catechisms  of 
history,  of  geography,  etc.  Our  Catechism  is  a  book  in  the 
same  form  treating  of  religion.  It  is  a  little  compendium 
of  the  truths  of  our  religion,  of  all  we  must  believe  and  do. 
It  contains,  in  the  simplest  form,  all  that  a  priest  learns  dur- 
ing his  many  years  of  study.  The  theology  he  learns  is  only 
a  deeper  and  fuller  explanation  of  the  Catechism.  A  whole 
book  might  be  written  on  almost  every  question.  For  exam- 
ple, might  we  not  write  a  book  on  each  of  the  first  three  ques- 
tions— the  World,  God,  and  Man?  There  is  consequently  much 
meaning  in  the  Catechism,  which  must  be  made  known  to  us 
by  explanation.  You  should  therefore  learn  the  Catechism 
by  heart  now,  even  when  you  do  not  fully  dnderstand  it ;  be- 
cause afterwards,  when  you  read  books  on  religion  or  hear  ser- 
mons, aU  these  questions  and  answers  will  come  back  to  your 
mind.  .Sermons  will  help  you  to  understand  the  questions, 
or  the  questiC'ns  will  help  you  to  understand  the  sermons, 

35 


36  On  the  Ena  of  3lan. 


LESSON  FIRST. 

ON  THE  END  OF  MAN. 

f  The  end  of  a  thing  is  the  purpose  for  which  it  was  made. 
The  end  of  a  watch  is  to  keep  time.  The  end  of  a  pen  is  to 
write,  etc.  A  thing  is  good  only  in  proportion  to  the  way  it 
fulfils  the  end  for  which  it  was  made.  A  watch  may  be  very 
beautifully  made,  a  very  rare  ornament,  but  if  it  will  not  keep 
time  it  is  useless  as  a  watch.  The  same  may  be  said  of  the 
pen,  or  of  anything  else.  Now  for  what  purpose  was  man 
made  ?  If  we  discover  that,  we  know  his  end.  When  we 
look  around  us  in  the  world,  we  see  a  purpose  or  end  for  every- 
thing. We  see  that  the  soil  is  made  for  the  plants  and  trees 
to  grow  in  ;  because  if  there  was  no  need  of  things  growing,  it 
would  be  better  to  have  a  nice  clean  solid  rock  to  walk  upon, 
and  then  we  would  be  spared  the  trouble  of  making  roads  and 
paving  streets.  But  things  must  grow,  and  so  we  must  have 
soil.  Again,  the  vegetables  and  plants  are  made  for  animals 
to  feed  upon  ;  while  the  animals  themselves  are  made  for 
man,  that  they  may  help  him  in  his  work  or  serve  him  for 
food.  Thus  it  is  evident  everything  in  the  world  was  made 
to  serve  something  else.  What  then  was  man  made  for  ? 
Was  it  for  anything  in  the  world  ?  We  see  that  all  classes  of 
beings  are  created  for  something  higher  than  themselves. 
Thus  plants  are  higher  than  soil,  because  they  have  life  and 
soil  has  not.  Animals  are  higher  than  plants,  because  they 
not  only  have  life,  but  they  can  feel  and  plants  cannot. 
Man  is  higher  than  animals,  because  he  not  only  has  life  and 
can  feel,  but  he  has  also  reason  and  intelligence,  and  can 
understand,  while  animals  cannot.  Therefore  we  must  look 
for  something  higher  than  man  himself  ;  but  there  is  nothing 
higher  than  man  in  this  world,  and  so  we  must  look  beyond 
it  to  find  that  for  which  he  was  made.     And  looking  beyond 


Vn  the  End  of  Man.  .  87 

it  and  considering  all  things,  we  find  that  he  was  made  for 
God — to  know  Him,  to  love  Him,  and  to  serve  Him  both  in 
tljis  world  and  in  the  next.  Again,  we  read  in  the  ^Bible 
(Genesis  i.)  that  at  the  creation  of  the  world  all  things  were 
made  before  man,  and  that  he  was  created  last.  There= 
fore,  if  all  these  things  could  exist  without  man,  we  cannot 
say  he  was  made  for  them.  The  world  existed  before  him 
and  can  exist  after  him.  The  world  goes  along  without  any 
particular  man,  and  the  same  may  be  said  of  all  men.  Nei- 
ther was  man  made  to  stay  here  awhile  to  become  rich,  or 
learned,  or  powerful,  because  all  do  not  become  rich— some 
are  very  poor  ;  all  are  not  learned — some  are  very  ignorant ; 
all  are  not  powerful — som^^  are  slaves.  But  since  all  men  are 
alike  and  equal  in  this,  that  they  have  all  bodies  formed  in 
the  same  way,  and  all  souls  that  are  immortal,  they  should 
all  be  made  for  the  same  end.  For  example,  you  could  not 
make  a  pen  like  a  watch  if  you  want  it  to  write.  Although 
pens  differ  in  size,  shape,  etc.,  they  have  all  one  general 
form  which  is  essential  to  them.  So,  although  men  differ  in 
many  things,  they  are  all  alike  in  the  essential  thing,  viz., 
that  they  are  composed  of  body  and  soul,  and  made  to  the 
image  and  likeness  of  God.  Hence,  as  pens  are  made  only 
CO  write  with,  so  all  men  must  have  only  one  and  the  same 
end,  namely,  to  serve  God. 

1  Q.  Who  made  the  world? 
A.  God  made  the  world. 

The  •*  world  "  here  means  more  than  the  earth — more  than 
is  shown  on  a  map  of  the  world.  It  means  everything  that 
we  nan  see — sun,  moon,  stars^  etc. ;  even  those  things  that  we 
can  see  only  with  great  telescopes.  Everything,  too,  that  we 
m9.y  be  able  to  see  in  the  future,  either  with  our  eyes  alone, 
or  aided  by  mstruments,  is  included  in  the  word  "world." 
We  can  call  it  the  universe. 

2Q.  Who  is  God? 

A.  God  is  the  CreaXor  of  heaven  and  earth,  and  of  aB 
things 


B»  On  the  End  of  Man. 

3  Q.  What  is  man  ? 

A.  Man  is  a  creature  composed  of  a  body  and  soul, 
and  made  to  the  image  and  likeness  of  God. 

"Creature,"  i.e.,  a  tiling  created.  Mun  differs  xroni  any- 
thing else  in  creation.  All  things  else  are  either  entirely 
matter,  or  entirely  spirit.  An  angel,  for  example,  is  all  spirit, 
and  a  stone  's  all  matter;  but  man  is  a  combination  of  both 
spirit  and  matter— of  soul  and  of  body. 

*4  Q.  Is  this  likeness  in  the  body  or  in  the  soul?' 
A.  This  likeness  is  chiefly  in  tho  soul. 

*  5  Q.  How  is  the  soul  like  to  God  ? 
A.  The  soul  is  like  God  because  it  is  a  spirit  that 
will  never  die,  and  has  understanding  and  free  will. 

My  soul  is  like  to  God  in  four  things. 

(1)  It  is  "  a  spirit."  It  really  exists,  but  cannot  be  seen 
with  the  eyes  of  our  body.  Every  spirit  is  invisible,  but  every 
invisible  thing  is  not  a  spirit.  We  cannot  see  the  wind.  We 
can  feel  its  influence,  we  can  see  its  work — for  example,  the 
dust  flying,  trees  swaying,  ships  sailing,  etc. — but  the  wind 
itself  we  never  see.  Again,  we  never  see  electricity.  We 
see  the  light  or  effect  it  produces,  but  we  never  see  tiie  elec- 
tricity itself.  Yet  no  one  denies  the  existence  of  the  wind 
or  of  electricity  on  account  of  their  being  invisible.  Why 
then  should  any  one  say  there  are  no  spirits — no  God,  no 
angels,  no  souls — simply  because  they  cannot  be  seen,  when 
we  have  other  proofs,  stronger  than  the  testimony  of  our 
sight,  that  they  really  and  truly  exist  ? 

(2)  My  soul  will  "  never  die,"  i.  e.,  will  never  cease  to  exist: 
it  is  immortal.  This  is  a  very  wonderful  thing  to  think  of. 
It  will  last  as  long  as  God  Himself. 

(3)  My  soul  ''has  understanding,'*  i.e.,  it  has  the  gift  of 
reason.  This  gift  enables  man  to  reflect  upon  all  his  actions 
— the  reasons  why  he  should  do  certain  things  and  why  he 
should  not  do  them.  By  reason  he  reflects  upon  the  past, 
and  judges  what  may  happen  m  the  future.  He  sees  the  con- 
sequences of  his  actions.  He  not  only  knows  what  he  does, 
but  why  he  does  it.     This  is  the  gift  that  places  man  high 

Questions  marked  with  an  asteiisk  (*)  are  not  in  No.  1  Catechism. 


On  the  Etid  of  Man.  89 

above  the  bi-ate  animals  in  the  order  of  creation;  and  henca 
man  is  not  merely  an  animal,  but  he  '^  a  rational  animal — an 
animal  with  the  gift  of  reason. 

Brute  animals  have  not  reason,  but  only  instinct,  i.  e., 
they  follow  certain  impulses  or  feelings  which  God  gave  them 
at  their  creation.  He  established  certain  laws  for  each  class 
or  kind  of  animals,  and  they,  without  knowing  it,  follow  these 
laws;  and  when  we  see  them  following  their  laws,  always  in 
the  same  way,  we  say  it  is  their  nature.  Animals  act  at  times 
as  if  they  knew  just  why  they  were  acting ;  but  it  is  not  so. 
It  is  we  who  reason  upon  their  actions,  and  see  why  they  do 
them ;  but  they  do  not  reason,  they  only  follow  their  instinct. 

If  animals  could  reason,  they  ought  to  improve  in  their 
condition.  Men  become  more  civilized  day  by  day.  They 
invent  many  things  that  were  unknown  to  their  forefathers. 
One  man  can  improve  upon  the  works  of  another,  etc.  But 
we  never  see  anything  of  this  kind  in  the  actions  of  animals. 
The  same  kind  of  birds,  for  instance,  build  the  same  kind  ol' 
nests,  generation  after  generation,  without  ever  making  chango 
or  improvement  in  them.  "When  man  teaches  an  animal  any 
action,  it  cannot  teach  the  same  to  its  young.  It  is  clear, 
therefore,  that  animals  cannot  reason. 

Though  man  has  the  gift  of  reason  by  which  he  can  learn 
a  great  deal,  he  cannot  learn  all  through  his  reason;  for 
there  are  many  things  that  God  Himself  must  teach  him. 
When  God  teaches,  we  call  the  truths  He  makes  known  to  us 
Revelation.  How  could  man  ever  know  about  the  Trinity 
through  his  reason  alone,  when,  after  God  has  made  known  to 
him  that  It  exists,  he  cannot  understand  it  ?  It  is  the  same 
for  all  the  other  mysteries. 

(4)  My  soul  has  "  free  will."  This  is  another  grand  gift 
of  God,  by  which  I  am  able  to  do  or  not  do  a  thing,  just  as  I 
please.  I  can  even  sin  and  refuse  to  obey  God.  God  Him- 
Eelf — while  He  leaves  me  my  free  will — could  not  oblige  me  to 
do  anything,  unless  I  wished  to  do  it;  neither  could  the  devil. 
I  am  free  therefore,  and  I  may  use  this  great  gift  either  to 
benefit  or  iniure  myself      If  J  were  no^-  trae  X  "aroul^  ti^t  dor 


40  Oh  the  End  of  Man. 

serve  re\v-ard  or  punishment  for  my  actions,  for  no  one  is  of 
should  be  punished  for  doing  what  he  cannot  help.  God 
would  not  punish  us  for  sin  if  we  were  not  free  to  commit  or 
avoid  it.  I  turn  this  freedom  to  my  benefit  if  I  d^  what  God 
wishes  when  I  could  do  the  opposite;  for  He  will  be  more 
pleased  with  my  conduct,  and  grant  a  greater  reward  than 
He  would  bestow  if  I  obeyed  simply  because  obliged  to  do  sa 
Animals  have  no  free  will.  If,  for  example,  they  suffer  from 
hunger  and  you  place  food  before  them,  they  will  eat;  but 
man  can  starve,  if  he  wills  to  do  so,  with  a  feast  before  him. 
For  the  same  reason  man  can  endure  more  fatigue  than  any 
other  animal  of  the  same  bodily  strength.  In  travelling,  for 
instance,  animals  give  up  when  exhausted,  but  man  may  be 
dying  as  he  walks,  and  still,  by  his  strong  will-power,  force 
his  wearied  limbs  to  move.  But  you  will  say,  did  not  the 
lions  in  the  den  into  which  Daniel  was  cast  because  he  would 
not  act  against  his  conscience,  obey  the  wicked  king  and 
offend  God — as  we  read  in  Holy  Scripture  (Daniel  vi.  16) 
— refrain  from  eating  him,  even  when  they  were  starving 
with  hunger?  Yes;  but  they  did  not  do  so  of  themselves, 
but  by  the  power  of  God  preventing  them:  and  that  is  why 
the  delivery  of  Daniel  from  their  mouths  was  a  miracle.  It 
is  clear,  because  the  same  lions  immediately  tore  in  pieces 
Daniel's  enemies  when  they  were  cast  into  the  den. 

6  Q.  Why  did  God  make  you? 

A.  God  made  me  to  know  Him,  to  love  Him,  and  to 
serve  Him  in  this  world,  and  to  be  happy  with  Him  for 
ever  in  the  next. 

"To  know"  Him,  because  i/e  must  know  of  a  thing  before 
we  can  love  it.  A  poor  savage  in  Africa  never  longs  to  be  at 
a  game  or  contest  going  on  in  America,  because  he  does  not 
know  it  and  therefore  cannot  love  it.  We  see  a  person  and 
know  him;  if  he  pleases  us  we  love  him,  and  if  we  love  him 
we  will  try  to  serve  him;  we  will  not  be  satisfied  with  doing 
merely  what  he  asks  of  us,  but  will  do  whatever  we  think 
might  give  him  pleasure.     So  it  is  in  regard  to  God.    We 


On  the  End  of  Man,  41 

must  first  know  Him, — learn  Who  He  is  from  our  catechib-ms 
and  books  of  instruction,  but  especially  from  the  teaching  of 
God's  ministers,  the  Holy  Father,  bishops,  and  priests. 
When  we  know  Him,  we  shall  love  Him.  If  we  knew  Him 
perfectly,  we  should  love  Him  perfectly;  so  the  better  we 
know  Him  the  more  we  shall  love  Him.  And  as  it  is  our  chief 
duty  to  love  Him  and  serve  Him  upon  earth,  it  becomes  our 
strict  duty  to  learn  here  whatever  we  can  of  His  nature,  attri- 
butes, and  holy  laws.  The  saints  and  angels  in  heaven  know 
God  so  well  that  they  must  love  Him,  and  cannot  therefore 
offend  Him, 

You  have  all  seen  some  person  in  the  world,  or  maybe 
several  persons,  whom  you  have  greatly  admired;  still  you 
did  not  love  them  perfectly;  there  was  always  some  little 
thing  about  them  in  looks,  manners,  or  disposition  that  could 
be  rendered  more  pleasing ;  some  defect  or  want  you  would 
like  to  see  supplied ;  some  fault  or  imperfection  you  would 
like  to  see  corrected.  Now  suppose  you  had  the  power  to 
take  all  the  good  qualities  you  found  in  the  persons  you 
loved  and  unite  them  in  one  person,  in  whom  there  would  be 
nothing  displeasing,  but  everything  perfect  and  beautiful.  Do 
you  not  think  you  would  love  such  a  person  very  much  indeed  ? 

Moreover,  suppose  you  knew  that  person  loved  you  in- 
tensely, would  it  not  be  your  greatest  delight  to  be  ever  with 
Bueh  a  friend  ?  Well,  then,  all  the  lovable  qualities  and 
beauties  you  see  in  created  beings  come  from  God  and  are 
bestowed  by  Him;  yet  all  the  good  qualities  on  earth  and 
those  of  the  angels  and  saints  in  heaven,  and  even  of  the 
Blessed  Virgin  and  St.  Joseph,  if  united  in  one  person  would 
be  nothing  compared  to  the  goodness  and  beauty  of  God. 
How  good  and  how  lovable,  therefore,  must  He  be!  And 
what  shall  we  say  when  we  think  that  He  loves  us  with  » 
greater  love  than  we  could  ever  love  Him,  even  with  our 
most  earnest  efforts?  Try  then  first  to  know  God  and  you 
will  surely  love  and  serve  Him.  Do  not  be  satisfied  with  the 
little  you  learn  of  Him  in  the  Catechism,  but  afterward  read 
good  books,  and  above  all  hear  sermons  and  instructions. 


42  On  the  End  of  Man. 

"In  this  world."  Because  unless  we  do  what  is  pleasing 
to  Him  in  this  world  we  cannot  be  with  Him  in  the  next. 
Our  condition  in  the  next  world  depends  entirely  upon  our 
conduct  in  this.  Thus  we  have  discovered  the  answer  to  the 
great  question,  What  is  the  end  of  man ;  for  what  was  he 
made  ? 

*  7  Q.  Of  which  must  we  take  more  care,  oiir  soul  or 
our  body? 

A.  We  must  take  more  care  of  our  soul  than  of 
our  body. 

*  8  Q.  Why  must  we  take  more  care  of  our  soul  than 
of  our  body  ? 

A.  We  must  take  more  care  of  our  soul  than  of 
our  body,  because  in  losing  our  soul  we  lose  God  and 
everlasting  happiness. 

Every  sensible  person  will  take  most  care  of  that  which 
Is  most  valuable.  If  a  girl  had  a  hundred  dollars  in  a  ten- 
cent  pocket-book,  you  would  consider  her  a  great  fool  if 
she  threw  away  the  hundred  dollars  for  fear  of  spoiling  the 
pocket-book.  Now,  he  is  a  greater  fool  who  throws  away  his 
soul  in  order  to  save  his  body  some  little  inconvenience,  or 
gratify  its  wicked  desires  or  inclinations.  Wherever  the  soul 
will  be,  there  the  body  will  be  also;  so  we  should,  in  a  certain 
way,  try  to  forget  the  body  and  make  sure  of  getting  the 
soul  safely  into  heaven.  You  would  not  think  much  of  the 
wisdom  of  a  boy  who  allowed  his  kite  to  be  smashed  in 
pieces  by  giving  his  whole  attention  to  the  tail  of  the  kite. 
If  he  took  care  to  keep  the  kite  itself  high  in  air  and  away 
from  every  danger,  tlie  tail  would  follow  it  ;  and  even  if  the 
tail  did  get  entangled,  it  would  have  a  good  chance  of  being 
freed  while  the  kite  was  still  flying.  But  of  what  use  is  it  to 
save  a  worthless  piece  of  rag,  if  the  kite — the  valuable  thing 
— is  lost?  Just  in  the  same  way,  of  what  use  is  our  body  if 
our  soul  is  lost?  And  remember  we  have  only  one  soul. 
Therefore,  make  sure  to  save  the  soul,  and  the  body  also  will 
be  saved — that  is,  the  whole  man  will  be  saved;  fcr  we  catt' 


On  the  End  of  Man.  43 

not  save  the  soul  and  lose  the  body ;  they  will  both  be  saved 
or  both  be  lost. 

9  Q.  What  must  we  do  to  save  our  so\ils  ? 

A.  To  save  our  souls,  we  must  worship  God  by  faith, 
hope,  and  charity ;  that  is,  we  must  believe  in  Him,  hope 
in  Him,  and  love  Him  with  all  our  heart. 

"Worship,"  that  is,  give  Him  divine  honor.  We  honoi 
persons  for  their  worth  and  excellence,  and  since  God  is  the 
most  excellent,  we  give  Him  the  highest  honors,  differing 
from  others  not  merely  in  degree  but  in  kind — divine  honors 
that  belong  to  Him  alone.  And  justly  so,  for  the  vilest  animal 
upon  the  earth  is  a  thousand  times  more  nearly  our  equal 
than  the  most  perfect  creature,  man  or  angel,  is  the  equal  of 
God.  In  speaking  of  worship,  theologians  generally  distin- 
guish three  kinds,  namely:  latria,  or  that  supreme  worship 
due  to  God  alone,  which  cannot  be  transferred  to  any 
creature  without  committing  the  sin  of  idolatry  ;  duUa,  or 
that  secondary  veneration  we  give  to  saints  and  angels  as  the 
special  friends  of  God;  hyper diilia,  or  that  higher  veneration 
which  we  give  to  the  Blessed  Virgin  as  the  most  exalted  of 
all  God's  creatures.  It  is  higher  than  the  veneration  we  give 
to  the  other  saints,  but  infinitely  inferior  to  the  worship  we 
give  to  God  Himself.  We  show  God  our  special  honor  by 
never  doubting  anything  He  reveals  to  us,  therefore  by 
"faith";  by  expecting  with  certainty  whatever  He  promises, 
therefore  by  "  hope ";  and  finally  by  loving  Him  more  than 
any  one  else  in  the  world,  therefore  by  "  charityo" 

But  some  one  may  say,  I  think  I  love  my  parents  more 
than  God.  Well,  let  us  see.  Suppose  your  mother  should 
command  you  to  commit  a  sinful  act  (a  thing  no  good  mother 
would  do)  and  you  have  therefore  to  choose  between  offend- 
ing her  or  Almighty  God.  Now,  although  you  love  your 
mother  very  much,  if  in  this  instance  you  prefer  to  displease 
her  rather  than  commit  the  sin  that  offends  God,  you  show 
that  you  love  God  more  than  her.  Again,  many  who  dearly 
love   their  parents  leave  them   tha.<"    thev  may  consecrate 


44  On  the  End  of  Man, 

their  lives  to  the  special  service  of  God  in  some  religious  com- 
munity and  thus  prove  their  greater  love  for  Him.  The 
love  we  have  for  God  is  intellectual  rather  than  sentimental ; 
and  since  it  is  not  measured  by  the  intensity  of  our  feelings, 
how  are  we  to  knew  that  we  love  Him  best  ?  By  our  deter- 
mination never  to  offend  Hin-  ^or  any  person  or  thing  in  the 
world,  however  dear  to  us,  ana  oy  ou-  tefidinesp  to  obey  and 
serve  Him  before  all  others. 

10  Q.  How  shall  we  know  the  things  which  wfo  are  */c 
believe  ? 

A.  We  shall  know  the  things  which  we  are  to  believe 
from  the  Catholic  Church,  through  which  God  speaks  to  us. 

"Catholic  Church"  in  this  answer  means  the  Pope,  coun- 
cils, bishops,  and  priests  who  teach  in  the  Church. 

11  Q.  "Where  shall  we  llnd  the  chief  truths  which  the 
Catholic  Church  teaches? 

A.  We  shall  find  tho  chief  truths  which  the  Catholic 
Chiirch  teaches  in  the  Apostles'  Creed. 

"Chief,"  because  the  Apostles'  Creed  does  not  contain 
in  an  explicit  manner  all  tlie  truths  we  must  believe.  For 
example,  there  is  nothing  in  the  Apostles'  Creed  about  the 
Sacrament  of  the  Holy  Eucharist,  about  the  Immaculate  Con- 
ception of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  or  the  infallibility  of  the  Pope; 
and  yet  we  must  believe  these  and  other  articles  of  faith  not 
in  the  Apostles'  Creed.  It  contains  only  the  "  chief  "  and  not 
all  the  truths. 

12  Q.  Sgv  the  Apostles'  Creed. 

A.  I  believe  in  God,  the  Father  Almighty,  Creator  of 
heaven  and  earth ;  and  in  Jesus  Christ,  His  only  Son,  Out 
Lord,  Who  was  conceived  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  born  of  the 
Virgin  Mary,  suffered  under  Pontius  Pilate,  was  crucified, 
died,  and  was  buried;  He  descended  into  hell;  the  third 
day  He  arose  again  from  the  dead ;  He  ascended  into 
heaven,  and  sitteth  at  the  right  hand  of  God,  the  Father 
Almighty ;  from  thence  He  shall  come  to  judge  the  living 
and  the  dead.  I  believe  in  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  holy  Catho- 
lic Church,  the  communion  of  saints,  the  forgiveness  of  sins, 
the  resurrection  of  the  body,  and  the  life  everlasting.   Amen. 

"  Descend  "  means  to  go  down,  and  "  ascend  "  to  go  up. 


On  God  and  His  Perfections,  45 


LESSON"  SECOND. 
ON  GOD   AND  HIS  PERFECTIONS. 

A  "  perfection*'  means  a  good  quality.  We  say  a  thing  is 
peix'ect  when  it  has  all  the  good  qualities  it  sh ould  have. 

13  Q.  What  is  God  ? 

A.  God  is  a  spirit  infinitely  perfect. 

"  A  spirit"  is  a  living,  intelligent,  invisible  being.  It  really 
exists,  though  we  cannot  see  it  with  the  eyes  of  our  body.  It 
has  intelligence  and  can  therefore  think,  understand,  etc.  It 
is  not  because  we  cannot  see  it  that  we  call  it  a  spirit.  To  be 
invisible  is  only  one  of  the  qualities  of  a  spirit.  It  is  also 
indivisible,  that  is,  it  cannot  be  divided  into  parts.  God  is 
such  a  being.  He  is  "infinitely  perfect,"  that  is.  He  has  every 
perfection  in  the  highest  degree.  "Infinite"  means  to  have 
without  limit.  If  there  were  any  perfection  God  did  not 
have.  He  would  not  be  infinite.  He  is  unlimited  in  wisdom, 
in  power,  in  goodness,  in  beauty,  etc.  But  you  will  tell  me 
persons  on  earth  and  the  angels  and  saints  in  heaven  have 
some  wisdom  and  power  and  beauty,  and  therefore  God  cannot 
have  all,  since  He  has  not  the  portion  with  which  they  are 
endowed.  I  still  say  He  is  infinite,  because  what  the  angels 
and  others  have  belongs  to  God,  and  He  only  lends  it  to  them. 
"Perfect"  means  to  be  without  any  defect  or  fault. 

14  Q.  Had  God  a  beginning? 

A.  God  had  no  beginning ;  Ho  always  was  anJ 
always  will  be. 

Was  there  ever  a  time  when  we  could  say  there  was  nc 
God  ?  There  was  a  time  when  we  could  say  there  was  no 
heaven  or  earth,  no  angels,  men,  or  animals;  but  there  was 
Uever  a  time  when  there  was  no  God.    We  mav  go  back  in 


46  On  God  and  His  Perfections. 

tiiought  millions  and  millions  of  years  before  the  creation, 
and  God  was  then  existing.  He  had  no  beginning  and  will 
never  cease  to  exist.  This  is  a  mystery ;  and  what  8  mystery 
is  will  be  explained  in  the  next  lesson. 

15  Q.  Where  is  God? 
A.  God  is  everywhere. 

"Everywhere" — not  spread  out  like  a  great  cloud,  but 
whole  and  entire  in  every  particular  place :  and  yet  there  is 
only  one  God,  and  not  as  many  gods  as  there  are  places.  How 
this  can  be  we  cannot  fully  understand,  because  this  also  is 
a  mystery.  A  simile,  though  it  will  not  be  perfect,  may 
help  you  to  understand.  When  we  speak  of  God,  we  can 
never  give  a  true  and  perfect  example;  for  we  cannot  find 
anything  exactly  like  Him  to  compare  to  Him.  If  I  dis- 
charge a  great  cannon  in  a  city,  every  one  of  the  inhabitants 
will  hear  the  report;  not  in  such  a  way  that  each  hearer  getij 
his  sliare  of  the  sound,  but  each  hears  the  whole  report,  just 
as  if  he  were  the  only  one  to  hear  it.  Now,  how  is  that  ? 
There  are  not  as  many  reports  as  there  are  persons  listening; 
and  yet  each  person  hears  the  whole  report. 

16  Q.  If  God  is  everywhere,  why  do  we  not  see  Him? 
A.  We  do  not  see  God,  because  I_o  is  a  piire  spirit 

and  cannot  be  seen  with  bodily  eyes. 

"  Pure  spirit,"  that  is,  not  clothed  with  any  material  body 
— spirit  alone. 

17  Q.  Does  God  see  us? 

A.  God  sees  us  and  watches  over  us. 

"Watches"  to  protect,  to  reward  or  punish  us.  He 
watches  continually;  He  not  only  watches,  but  keeps  us  alive. 
God  might  have  created  us  and  then  paid  no  more  attention 
to  us;  but  if  He  had  done  so,  we  should  have  fallen  back 
again  into  nothingness.  Therefore  He  preserves  us  every 
moment  of  our  lives.     We  cannot  draw  a  breath  without  Him. 


On  God  and  His  Ptr/ections,  47 

If  a  steam-engine  be  required  to  work  ceaselessly,  you  cannot, 
after  setting  it  in  motion,  leave  it  henceforth  entirely  to  itself. 
You  must  keep  up  the  supply  of  water  and  fire  necessary  for 
the  generation  of  steam,  you  must  oil  the  machinery,  guard 
against  overheating  or  cooling,  and,  in  a  word,  keep  a  constant 
watch  that  nothing  may  interfere  with  its  motion.  So  also 
God  not  only  watches  His  creatures,  hut  likewise  provides  for 
them.  Since  we  depend  so  much  upon  Him,  is  it  not  great 
folly  to  sin  against  Him,  to  offend,  and  tempt  Him  as  it  were  ? 
There  are  some  birds  that  build  their  nests  on  the  sides  of 
great  rocky  precipices  by  the  sea-coast.  Their  eggs  are  very 
valuable,  and  men  are  let  down  by  long  ropes  to  take  them 
from  the  nest.  Now  while  one  of  these  men  is  hauging  over 
the  fearful  precipice,  his  life  is  entirely  in  the  hands  of  those 
holding  the  rope  above.  While  he  is  in  that  danger  do  you 
not  think  he  would  be  very  foolish  to  tempt  and  insult  those 
on  whom  his  life  depends,  when  they  could  dash  him  to  pieces 
by  simply  dropping  the  rope?  While  we  live  here  upon  earth 
we  are  all  hanging  over  a  great  precipice,  namely,  eternity; 
God  holds  us  up  by  the  little  thread  of  our  lives,  and  if  He 
pleased  to  drop  it  we  should  be  hurled  into  eternity.  If  we 
tempt  or  insult  Him,  He  might  drop  or  cut  the  thread  while  we 
are  in  mortal  sin,  and  then,  body  and  soul,  we  go  down  into  helL 

18  Q.  Does  God  know  all  things? 

A.  God  knows  all  things,  even  our  most  secret  thoughts, 
words,  and  actions. 

Certainly  God  "  knows  all  things."  First,  because  He 
is  infinitely  wise,  and  if  He  were  ignorant  of  anything 
He  would  not  be  so.  Secondly,  because  He  is  everywhere 
and  sees  and  hears  all.  Darkness  does  not  hide  from  His 
view,  nor  noise  prevent  Him  from  hearing.  How  could  we 
sin  if  we  thought  of  this!  God  is  just  here,  looking  at  me 
and  listening  to  me.  Would  I  do  what  I  am  going  to  do 
now  if  I  knew  my  parents,  relatives,  and  friends  were  watch- 
ing me?  Would  I  like  them  to  know  that  I  am  thinking 
about  things  sinful,  and   preparing  to   do  shameful  acts? 


48  On  God  and  His  Perfections, 

No!  Why  then  should  I  not  feel  ashamed  to  let  God  sea 
and  know  of  this  wicked  thought  or  action?  They  niiglit 
know  it  and  yet  be  unable  to  harm  me,  but  He,  all-powerful, 
sould  destroy  me  instantly.  Nay,  more:  not  only  will  God 
see  and  know  this  evii  deed  or  thought;  but,  by  His  gift, 
the  Blessed  Mother,  the  angels  and  saints  will  know  of  it 
and  be  ashamed  of  it  before  God,  and,  most  of  all,  my  guardian 
angel  will  deplore  it.  Besides,  this  sin  will  be  revealed  to 
the  whole  world  on  the  last  day,  and  my  friends,  relatives, 
and  neighbors  will  know  that  I  was  guilty  of  it. 

19  Q.  Can  God  do  all  things  ? 

A.  God  can  do  all  things,  and  nothing  is  hard  or  im- 
possible to  Him. 

20  Q.  Is  God  just,  holy,  and  merciful  ? 

A.  God  is  all  just,  all  holy,  all  merciful,  as  He  is  in- 
finitely perfect. 

"  All  just " — that  is,  most  just.  "  Just  *'  means  to  give  to 
every  one  what  belongs  to  him — to  reward  if  it  is  merited  or 
to  punith  if  it  is  deserved.  ''Holy'' — that  is,  good.  "Mer- 
ciful" means  compassionate,  forgiving,  less  exacting  than 
severe  justice  demands.  In  a  couit  a  just  judge  is  one  who 
listens  patiently  to  all  the  arguments  for  and  against  the 
prisoner,  and  then,  comparing  one  with  the  other,  gives  the 
sentence  exactly  in  accordance  with  the  guilt.  If  he  inflicts 
more  or  less  punishment  than  the  prisoner  deserves,  or  for 
money  or  anything  else  gives  an  unfair  sentence,  then  he  is 
an  unjust  judge.  The  judge  might  be  merciful  in  this  way. 
The  laws  say  that  for  the  crime  of  which  this  prisoner  is 
proved  guilty  he  can  be  sent  to  prison  for  a  term  not  longer 
than  ten  years  and  not  shorter  than  five;  that  is,  for  any- 
thing between  ten  and  five  years.  The  judge  could  give  him 
the  full  ten  years  that  the  law  allows  and  be  just.  But  sup- 
pose he  believed  that  the  prisoner  did  not  know  the  law  and  did 
not  intend  to  be  as  Avicked  as  he  was  proved ;  or  that  it  was  his 
first  offence,  or  that  he  heard  the  prisoner's  mother,  who  v/as 
old  and  infirm,  pleading  for  him  and  saying  he  was  her  only 


On  God  and  His  Perfections.  4d 

support;  or  other  extenuating  circumstances  that  could 
awaken  sympathy:  the  judge  might  be  merciful  and  sen- 
tence him  for  the  shortest  term  the  law  allows.  But  if  the 
judge  dismissed  every  prisoner,  no  matter  how  guilty,  with- 
out punishment,  he  would  not  be  a  merciful  but  an  unjust 
judge,  who  would  soon  be  forced  to  leave  the  court.  In  the 
same  way,  God  is  often  merciful  to  sinners  and  punishes  tliera 
less  than  He  could  in  strict  justice.  But  if  He  were  to  allow 
every  sinner  to  go  without  any  punishment  whatsoever — ar 
unbelievers  say  He  should  do,  by  having  no  hell  for  the  wicked 
— then  He  would  not  be  just.  For  as  God  is  an  Infinite 
Being,  all  His  perfections  must  be  infinite  ;  that  is.  He  must 
be  as  infinitely  just  as  He  is  infinitelv  merciful,  true,  wise,  on 
powerful. 

Now  He  has  promised  to  punish  sin;  and  since  He  is  in 
finitely  true.  He  must  keep  His  promise. 


60  On  the  Unity  and  Trinity  of  (foa. 


LESSON  THIRD. 
Orr  THE  UNITY  AND  TRINITY  OF  GOD. 

"  UiUty  "  nioiius  to  be  one,  and  **  Trinity,"  three  in  ona 

21  Q.  Is  Tliere  but  one  God? 
A..  Yes ;  tliero  is  but  one  God. 

22  Q.  Why  can  there  be  but  one  God? 

A.  There  can  be  but  one  God  because  God,  being 
snpi^me  and  infinite,  cannot  have  an  equal. 

'* Supreme,"  that  is,  the  highest.  "Equal,"  wlien  two 
are  equal  one  has  everything  the  other  has.  Yon  could  say 
one  pen  is  the  equal  of  another  if  it  is  just  as  nice  and  will 
write  just  as  well;  one  mechanic  is  the  equal  of  another  if  he 
can  do  the  work  equally  well.  Two  boys  are  equal  in  class  if 
they  have  exactly  the  same  marks  at  the  end  of  the  montli  or 
year.  You  could  not  have  two  persons  chief.  For  example, 
you  could  not  have  two  chief  generals  in  an  army;  two  presi- 
dents in  the  nation,  or  two  governors  in  a  state,  or  two 
mayors  in  a  city,  or  two  principals  in  a  school,  unless  they 
divide  equally  their  power,  and  then  they  will  be  equals  and 
neither  of  them  chief.  God  cannot  divide  His  power  with 
anyone — so  as  to  give  it  away  entirely — because  we  say  He  is 
infinite,  and  that  means  to  have  all.  Others  have  only  the 
loan  of  their  power  from  God.  Therefore,  all  power  and 
authority  come  from  God;  so  that  when  we  disobey  our 
parents  or  superiors  who  are  placed  over  us,  we  disobey  God 
Himself. 

23  Q.  How  many  persons  are  there  in  God? 

A.  In  God  there  are  three  divine  persons  really  dis- 
tinct and  equal  in  all  things— the  Father,  the  Son,  and 
the  Holy  Ghost, 


On  Vie  Unify  wnd  Trinity  of  God.  51 

"Distinct/'  not  mingled  together.  We  call  the  first  and 
second  persons  Father  and  Sou,  because  the  second  is  begotten 
by  the  first  person,  and  not  to  indicate  that  there  is  any  dif- 
ference in  their  age.  We  always  see  in  the  world  that  a 
father  is  older  than  his  son,  so  we  get  the  idea  perhaps  that 
it  is  the  same  in  the  Holy  Trinity.  But  it  is  not  so.  God 
the  Father,  and  God  the  Son,  and  God  the  Holy  Ghost 
existed  from  all  eternity,  and  one  did  not  exist  before  tl^e 
other.  God  the  Son  is  just  as  old  as  God  the  Father,  and 
this  is  another  great  mystery.  Even  in  nature  we  see  that 
two  things  may  begin  to  exist  at  the  same  time,  and  yet  one 
be  the  cause  of  the  other.  You  know  that  fire  is  the  cause  of 
heat ;  and  yet  the  heat  and  the  fire  begin  at  the  same  time. 
Though  we  cannot  understand  this  mystery  of  the  Father 
and  Son,  we  must  believe  it  on  the  authority  of  God,  Who 
teaches  it.  First,  second,  and  third  person  in  the  Blessed 
Trinity  does  not  mean,  therefore,  that  one  person  was  before 
the  other,  or  brought  into  existence  by  the  other. 

24  Q.  Is  the  Father  God  ? 

A.  The    Father  is  Q-od  and    the  first    person  of  the 
Blessed  Trinity, 

25  Q.  Is  the  Son  God? 

A.  The  Son   is    God  and  the    second   person   of   the 
Blessed  Trinity. 

26  Q.  Is  the  Holy  Ghost  God? 

A.  The  Holy  Ghost  is  God  and  the  third  person  ol 
the  Blessed  Trinity. 

27  Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  the  Blessed  Trinity? 

A.  By  the  Blessed  Trinity  *  mean  one  God  in  three 
Divine  Persons. 

28  Q.  Are  the  three  Divine  Persons  equal  in  all  things  ? 
A.  The  three  Divine   Persons  are  equal  in  all  things. 

29  Q.  Are  the  three  Dlv1n«'  ''^ersons  one  and  the  same 
CtodP 


62  On  the  Unity  and  Trinity  of  God. 

A.  The  three.  Divine  Persons  are  one  and  the  samo 
God,  having  one  and  the  same  divine  nature  and  sub* 
stance. 

Though  they  are  one  and  the  same,  we  sometimes  attrib- 
ate  different  works  to  them.  For  example,  works  of  creation 
we  attribute  to  God  tlie  Father;  works  of  mercy  to  God  the 
Son;  and  works  of  love  and  sanctification  to  the  Holy  Ghost; 
find  you  will  often  find  them  thus  spoken  of  in  pious  books ; 
but  all  such  works  are  done  by  all  the  Persons  of  the  Trinity} 
because  such  works  are  the  works  of  God,  and  there  is  but 
one  God. 

•30  Q.  Can  we  fully  understand  how  the  three  Divine 
Persons  are  one  and  the  same  God? 

A.  We  cannot  fully  understand  how  the  three  Divine 
Persons  are  one  and  the  same  God,  because  this  is  a  mys^ 
tery. 

'* Fully** — entirely.  We  can  partly  understand  it.  We 
know  what  one  God  is  and  we  know  what  three  peisons  are  ; 
but  how  these  two  things  go  together  is  the  part  we  do  not 
understand — the  mystery. 

•31  Q.  What  is  a  mystery  P 

A.  A  mystery  ia  a  truth  which  we  cannot  fully  un- 
derstand. 

'*A  truth,'*  that  is,  a  revealed  truth — one  made  known  to 
US  by  God  or  His  Church.  It  is  a  truth  which  we  must  be- 
lieve though  we  cannot  understand  it.  Let  us  take  an  exam- 
pie.  When  a  boy  goes  to  school  he  is  taught  that  the  earth  is 
round  like  an  orange  and  revolving  in  two  ways,  one  caus- 
ing day  and  night  and  the  other  producing  the  seasons: 
gpring,  summer,  autumn,  winter.  The  boy  goes  out  into 
the  country  where  he  sees  miles  of  level  land  and  mountains 
thousands  of  feet  in  height.  Again  he  goes  out  on  the  ocean 
where  sailors  tell  him  it  is  several  miles  in  depth. 

JTow  he  may  sjiy :  how  can  the  earth  be  round  if  deep  ?!». 
leys,  high  mountains,  and  level  plains  prove  to  my  senses  the 


On  the  Unity  and  Trinity  of  God.  53 

very  opposite,  and  the  countless  things  at  rest  upon  its  surface 
tell  me  it  is  motionless.  Yet  he  believes  even  against  the 
testimony  of  his  senses  that  the  earth  is  round  and  moving, 
because  his  teacher  could  have  no  motive  in  deceiving  him; 
knows  better  than  he,  having  learned  more,  and  besides  haa 
been  taught  by  others  who  after  long  years  of  careful  study 
and  research  have  discovered  these  tilings  and  know  them  to 
be  true.  If  therefore  we  have  to  believe  things  that  we  do  nol 
understand  on  the  authority  of  men,  why  should  we  not  be- 
lieve other  truths  on  the  authority  of  God  ?  Yes,  we  must 
believe  Him.  If  a  boy  knew  all  his  teacher  knew  there 
would  be  no  need  of  his  going  to  school;  he  would  be  the 
equal  in  knowledge  of  his  teacher,  and  if  we  knew  all  that 
God  knows  we.  would  be  as  great  as  He.  As  well  might  we 
try  to  empty  the  whole  ocean  into  the  tiny  holes  that  children 
dig  in  the  sand  by  its  shore,  as  fully  to  comprehend  the  wis- 
dom of  God.  This  is  the  mistake  unbelievers  make  when  they 
wish  to  understand  with  their  limited  intelligence  the  bound- 
less knowledge  and  mysterious  ways  of  God,  and  when  they  can- 
not understand  refuse  to  believe.  Are  they  not  extremely  fool- 
ish ?  Would  you  not  ridicule  the  boy  who  refuses  to  believe 
that  the  earth  is  round  and  moving  because  he  cannot  under- 
stand it  ?  As  he  grows  older  and  learns  more  he  will  com- 
prehend it  better;  so  we,  when  we  lea\utuis  'vorld  and  come 
into  the  presence  of  God,  shall  see  clearly  many  things  that  are 
unintelligible  now.  For  the  present,  we  have  only  to  believe 
them  on  the  authority  of  God  teaching  us.  Another  example. 
We  take  two  little  black  seeds  that  look  just  alike  and  place 
them  in  the  same  kind  of  soil;  we  put  the  same  kind  of  water 
upon  them  ;  they  have  the  same  sunlight  and  air,  and  yet 
when  they  grow  up  one  has  a  red  flower  and  one  a  blue. 
Where  did  the  red  and  where  did  the  blue  come  from  ?  From 
the  black  seed,  or  the  brown  soil,  or  the  pure  water,  air  and 
sunlight?  We  do  not  know.  It  is  there,  and  that  is  all.  We 
see  it  and  believe  it,  though  we  do  not  understand  it. 

So  if  we  refuse  to  believe  everything  we  do  not  understand, 
we  shall  soon  believe  very  \\H.]p.  anrl  makfi  ourselves  ri<licnious 


S4  On  Creaiicm. 


LESSON  FOURTH. 
ON  CREATION. 

This  lesson  treats  of  God  bringing  everything  into  exiss. 
•  .je.  The  chief  things  ci-eated  may  be  classed  as  follows: 
(1)  The  things  tliat  simply  exist,  as  rocks,  and  minerals — 
gold,  silver,  iron,  etc.  (2)  Things  that  exist,  grow,  and  live,  like 
plants  and  trees.  (3)  Things  that  grow,  live,  and  feel,  like 
animals.  (4)  Things  that  grow,  live,  feel,  and  understand, 
like  men.  Besides  these  we  have  the  sun,  moon,  stars,  etc. ; 
all  things  too  that  we  can  see,  and  also  heaven,  purgatory,  hell, 
and  good  and  bad  angels.  All  these  are  the  works  of  God's 
creation.  All  these  He  has  called  into  existence  by  merely 
wishing  for  them. 

*32  Q.  Who  created  heaven  and  earth,  and  all  things? 
A.  God  created  heaven  and  earth,  and  all  things. 

**  Heaven,'*  wliere  God  is  and  will  always  be.  It  means, 
too,  everything  we  see  in  the  sky  above  us.  "Earth,"  the 
globe  on  which  we  live. 

*33  Q.  How  did  God  create  heaven  and  earth? 

A.  God  created  heaven  and  earth  from  nothing,  by 
His  word  only ;  that  is,  by  a  single  act  of  His  all-power- 
mi  wiU. 

34  Q.  Which  are  the  chief  creatures  of  God  ? 

A.  The  chief  creatures  of  God  are  angels  and  men. 

35  Q.  What  are  angels  ? 

A.  Angels  are  pure  spirits  without  a  body,  created  to 
adore  and  enjoy  God  in  heaven. 

"  Angels"  are  not  the  same  as  saints.  Saints  are  those  who 
at  one  time  lived  upon  the  earth  as  we  do.  and  who  on  ac 


On  Creation.  55 

count  of  thoii  veiy  good  lives  are  now  in  heaven.  They  had 
bodies  as  we  have.  The  angels,  on  the  contrary,  never  lived 
visibly  upon  the  earth.  In  the  beginning  God  was  alone. 
We  take  great  pleasure  in  looking  at  beautiful  things.  God, 
seeing  His  own  beauty,  and  knowing  that  others  would  have* 
very  great  pleasure  and  happiness  in  seeing  Him,  determined 
to  create  some  beings  who  could  enjoy  this  happiness;  and  thus 
He  wished  to  share  with  them  the  happiness  which  He  Himself 
derived  from  seeing  His  own  beauty.  Therefore  He  created 
angels  who  were  to  be  in  heaven  with  Him,  singing  His 
praises  and  worshipping  before  His  throne. 

The  angels  are  not  all  equal  in  dignity,  but  are  divided  into 
nine  classes,  or  choirs,  according  to  their  rank  or  office,  and, 
as  theologians  tell  us,  arranged  from  the  lowest  to  the  highest 
and  named  as  follows:  angels,  archangels,  virtues,  powers, 
principalities,  dominations,  thrones,  cherubim,  and  seraphim. 
Archangels  are  higher  than  angels  and  are  so  called  because 
sent  to  do  the  most  important  works.  It  was  the  Arch- 
angel Michael  who  drove  Lucifer  from  heaven  and  the  Arch- 
angel Gabriel  who  announced  to  the  Blessed  Virgin  that  she 
was  to  be  the  Mother  of  God.  The  angels  receive  their 
names  from  the  duties  they  perform.  The  word  angel  signi- 
fies messenger. 

*36  Q.  Were  the  angels  created  for  any  other  purpose  ? 

A.  The  angels  were  also  created  to  assist  before  the 
throne  of  God  and  to  minister  unto  Him  ;  they  have 
often  been  sent  as  messengers  from  God  to  man  ;  and  are 
also  appointed  our  guardians. 

The  duties  of  the  angels  are  many.  Some  remain  always  in 
heaven  with  God;  some  are  sent  to  earth  to  be  our  guardians 
and  to  remain  with  us.  Each  of  us  has  an  angel  to  take  care 
of  us.  He  is  with  us  night  and  day,  and  offers  our  prayers 
and  good  works  to  God.  He  prays  for  us,  exhorts  us  to  do 
good  and  avoid  evil;  and  he  protects  us  from  dangers  spirit- 
ual and  temporal.  How  unfortunate  then  must  one  be  to 
cause  him  to  return  to  heaven  with  sad  complaints  to  God  ? 


56  'On  (jreation. 

such  as:  " The  one  whom  I  have  in  charge  will  not  obey  Th^ 
laws  or  use  the  graces  Tkou  sendest  him:  with  all  my  efforts  to 
save  him,  he  continues  to  do  wrong."  He  will  be  doubly  sad 
when  he  sees  other  angels  returning  with  good  reports  and 
receiving  new  graces  for  those  whom  God  has  committed  to 
their  care.  If  you  love  your  guardian  angel,  never  impose  on 
him  the  painful  duty  of  bringing  to  God  the  report  of  your 
evil  doings. 

Now,  how  do  we  know  that  the  angels  offer  our  prayers 
and  good  works  to  God  ?  We  know  it  from  the  beau- 
tiful story  of  Tobias,  told  in  the  Holy  Scripture  (Tobias). 
This  holy  man  loved  a,nd  feared  God.  He  lived  at  a  time 
when  his  people  were  persecuted  by  a  most  cruel  king,  who 
wished  to  force  them  to  give  up  the  true  God  and  worship 
idols,  but  many  of  these  good  people  suffered  death  rather 
than  deny  God  and  obey  the  wicked  king.  When  they  were 
put  to  death  their  bodies  were  left  lying  on  the  ground,  to  be 
devoured  by  birds  of  prey  or  wild  animals.  Any  one  caught 
burying  them  was  to  be  put  to  death  by  the  king's  servants. 
Tobias  used  to  carry  the  dead  bodies  of  these  holy  martyrs  into 
his  house  and  bury  them  at  night. 

One  day  when  he  returned  very  tired  he  lay  down  by  the 
wall  of  his  house  to  rest,  and,  while  lying  there,  some  dirt  fell 
into  his  e3'es  and  he  became  blind.  This  Tobias  had  a  young 
son  whose  name  was  also  Tobias  ;  and  as  he  himself  was  now 
blind  and  poor,  he  wished  to  send  his  son  into  a  certain  city, 
at  a  good  distance  off,  to  collect  some  money  that  he  had 
formerly  loaned  to  a  friend.  As  the  young  man  did  not  know 
the  way,  his  father  sent  him  out  to  look  for  a  guide.  Young 
Tobias  went  out  and  found  a  beautiful  young- man  standing 
on  the  road  near  his  house.  Tobias  asked  the  young  man  to  be 
his  guide  and  he  consented,  and  he  brought  Tobias' to  the  dis- 
tant city.  As  they  were  on  their  way  they  sat  down  by  the 
bank  of  a  river.  Tobias  went  into  the  water  near  the  edge, 
and  soon  a  great  fish  rushed  at  him.  Tobias  called  to  his  guide. 
The  guide  told  him  to  take  hold  of  the  fish  and  drag  it  out 
upon  the  shore.     There  they  killed  it,  and  kept  part  of  its 


On  Creation.  67 

ilesli  for  food  and  part  for  medicine.  Then  they  went  on  to 
the  city,  got  the  money  and  returned.  The  guide  told  young 
Tobias  to  rnb  the  part  of  the  fish  he  had  taken  for  medicine 
upon  his  father's  eyes.  He  did  so,  and  immediately  his  father's 
eyes  were  cured  and  he  saw.  Then  both  the  father  and  son 
were  so  delighted  with  this  young  guide,  tliat  they  offered  to 
give  him  half  of  all  they  had.  He  refused  to  take  it  and  then 
told  them  he  was  the  angel  Eaphael  sent  from  God  to  be  the 
guide  of  this  good  man's  son.  He  told  the  old  Tobias  how 
he  (the  angel)  had  carried  up  to  God  his  prayers  and  good 
works  while  he  was  burying  the  dead.  When  they  heard  he 
.va:-"  an  angel  they  fell  down  and  reverenced  him,  being  very 
much  afraid.  From  this  beautiful  history  we  know  that  the 
angels  carry  our  prayers  and  good  works  to  God.  Again  we 
learn  from  the  Holy  Scripture  (Genesis  xxviii.)  in  the  his- 
tory of  another  good  man  almost  the  same  thing.  The  patriarch 
Jacob  was  on  a  journey,  and  being  tired,  he  lay  down  to  rest 
with  his  head  upon  a  stone.  As  he  lay  there  he  had  a  vision 
in  which  he  saw  a  great  ladder  reaching  up  from  earth  to 
heaven.  At  the  top  he  saw  Almighty  God  standing,  and  on 
the  ladder  itself  angels  ascending  and  descending.  Now  the 
holy  Fathers  of  the  Church  tell  us  this  is  what  is  really  tak- 
ing place;  the  angels  are  always  going  down  and  up  from 
God  to  man,  though  not  on  a  ladder  and  not  visibly  as  they 
appeared  to  Jacob.  Besides  the  guardian  angel  for  each 
person,  there  are  also  guardian  angels  for  each  city  and  for 
each  nation. 

Again  (Genesis  xix.)  angels  appeared  to  Lot  to  warn  him 
about  the  destruction  of  the  wicked  cities  of  Sodom  and 
Gomorrha.  Angels  appeared  also  to  the  shepherds  on  the 
night  Our  Lord  was  born  (Luke  ii.).  The  catechism  says 
angels  have  no  bodies,  how  then  could  they  appear  ?  They 
took  bodie'}  made  of  some  very  light  substance  which  would 
make  them  visible,  and  appeared  just  like  beautiful  young 
men,  clad  in  flowing  garments,  as  you  frequently  see  them 
represented  in  pictures.  Angels  were  sometimes  sent  to  pun- 
ish men  for  their  sins,  as  the  angel  who  killed  in  one  night 


58  On  Creation. 

185,000  men  in  the  army  of  the  wicked  king,  Sennacherib, 
who  blasphemed  God,  and  was  endeavoring  to  destroy  Jeru- 
salem, God's  city  (4  Kings  xix.). 

But  here  is  a  difficulty.  If  God  Himself  watches  over  us 
and  sees  all  things,  why  should  the  angels  guard  us  ?  It  is 
on  account  of  God's  goodness  to  us;  though  it  is  not  neces- 
sary. He  does  not  wish  us  to  have  any  excuse  for  being  bad, 
so  He  gives  us  each  a  special  heavenly  servant  to  watch  and 
assist  us  by  his  prayers.  If  a  friend  received  us  into  his  house 
and  did  all  he  could  for  us  himself,  we  should  certainly  be  sat- 
isfied, but  if  he  gave  us  a  special  servant,  though  it  would  not 
be  necessary,  he  would  show  us  gi-eat  respect  and  kindness. 
Moreover  whatever  the  angels  do  for  us,  we  might  say  God 
Himself  does,  for  the  angels  are  only  obeying  His  commands. 

*37  Q.  Were  the  angels,  as  God  created  them,  good  and 
happy  ? 

A.  The  angels  as  God  created  them  were  good  and 
happy. 

*38  Q.  Did  all  the  angels  remain  good  and  happy? 

A.  All  the  angels  did  not  remain  good  and  happy; 
many  of  them  sinned  and  were  cast  into  hell ;  and  these 
are  called  devils  or  bad  angels. 

God  did  not  admit  the  angels  into  His  presence  at  once. 
He  placed  them  for  a  while  on  probation,  as  He  did  our  first 
parents. 

One  of  these  angels  was  most  beautiful,  and  was  named 
Lucifer,  which  means  light-bearer.  He  was  so  perfect  that 
he  seems  to  have  forgotten  that  he  received  all  his  beauty  and 
intelligence  from  God,  and  not  content  with  what  he  had,  be- 
came sinfully  proud  and  wished  to  be  equal  to  God  Himself, 
For  his  sin  he  and  all  his  followers  were  driven  out  of  heaven, 
and  God  then  created  hell,  in  which  they  were  to  suffer  for 
all  eternity.  This  same  Lucifer  is  now  called  Satan,  and  more 
commonly  the  devil,  and  those  "'>^o  accompanied  him  in  his 
fall,  devils,  or  fallen  angels. 


On  Our  First  Parents  and  Their  FaU.  69 


LESSON  FIFTH. 
ON  OUR  FIRST  PARENTS  AND  THEIR  FALL. 

39  Q.  Who  were  the  first  man  and  woman? 

A.  The  first  man  and  woman  were  Adam  and  Eve. 

In  the  beginning  God  created  all  things ;  something  par- 
ticular on  each  of  the  six  days  of  creation  (Genesis  i.)?  On 
the  first  day  He  made  light,  on  the  second,  the  firmament,  or 
the  heavens,  and  on  the  sixth  day  He  created  man  and  called 
him  Adam.  God  wished  Adam  to  have  a  companion ;  so  one 
day  He  caused  Adam  to  fall  into  a  deep  sleep,  and  then  took 
from  his  side  a  rib,  out  of  which  He  formed  Eve.  Now  God 
could  have  made  Eve  as  He  made  Adam,  by  forming  her  body 
out  of  the  clay  of  the  earth  and  breathing  into  it  a  soul,  but 
He  made  Eve  out  of  Adam's  rib  to  show  that  they  were  to  be 
husband  and  wife,  and  to  impress  upon  their  minds  the 
nature  and  sacredness  of  the  love  and  union  that  should  exist 
between  them. 

40  Q.  Were  Adam  and  Eve  innocent  and  holy  when 
they  came  from  the  hand  of  God? 

A.  Adam   and    Eve    were    innocent   and    holy   when 
they  came  from  the  hand  of  God, 

God  placed  Adam  and  Eve  in  Paradise,  a  large,  beautiful 
garden,  and  gave  them  power  over  all  the  other  creatures. 
Adam  gave  all  the  animals  their  appropriate  names  and  they 
were  obedient  to  him.  Even  lions,  tigers,  and  other  animals 
that  we  now  fear  so  much,  came  and  played  about  him.  Our 
first  parents,  in  their  state  of  original  innocence,  were  the 
happy  friends  of  God,  without  sorrow  or  suffering  of  any 
kind. 


80  On  Our  First  Parents  and  Their  Fall. 

*4x  vi.  Did  God  give  any  command  to  Adam  and  Eve? 

A.  To  try  their  obedience  God  commanded  Adam  and 
Eve  not  to  eat  of  a  certain  friiit  which  grew  in  the 
garden  of  Paradise. 

He  told  them  (Genesis  ii.)  they  could  take  of  all  the  fruits 
in  the  garden  except  the  fruit  of  one  tree,  and  if  they  diso- 
beyed Him  by  eating  the  fruit  of  that  tree,  they  should  surely 
die.  God  might  have  pointed  out  any  tree,  because  it  was 
simply  a  test  of  their  obedience.  He  gave  them  a  very  simple 
command,  for  if  we  are  faithful  in  little  things  we  shall  surely 
be  faithful  in  greater.  Moreover,  it  is  not  precisely  the  con- 
sideration of  what  is  forbidden,  but  of  the  authority  by 
whicli  it  is  forbidden  that  should  deter  us  from  violating  the 
command  and  prove  our  fidelity.  Thus  disobedience  to  our 
parents  and  superiors,  even  in  little  things,  becomes  sinful. 
Some  one  might  say:  "  Why  did  God  not  try  their  obedience 
by  one  of  the  ten  commandments? ''  Let  us  examine  them. 
"  Eemember  the  Sabbath."  That  one  would  be  unnecessary: 
for  every  day  was  Sabbath  with  them;  the  only  work  was  t( 
praise  and  serve  God.  "  Thou  shalt  not  steal."  They  coulo 
not;  everything  was  theirs;  and  so  for  the  other  command- 
ments. Therefore,  God  gave  them  a  simple  command  telling 
them:  If  you  obey,  you  and  all  your  posterity  will  be 
happy;  every  wish  will  be  gi'atified,  neither  sorrow  nor  aflBic- 
tion  shall  come  upon  you  and  you  shall  never  die;  but  if,  on 
the  contrary,  you  disobey,  countless  evils,  misery  and  death 
w^ill  be  your  punishment.  The  earth,  now  so  fruitful,  shall 
bring  forth  no  crops  without  cultivation,  and  after  years  of 
toil  the  dead  bodies  of  yourselves  and  children  must  lie 
buried  in  its  soil.  So  having  the  gift  of  free  will  they  could 
take  their  choice,  and  either  keep  His  command  and  be 
happy,  or  disobey  Him  and  be  miserable. 

*42  Q.  Which  were  the  chief  blessings  intended  for 
Adam  and  Eve,  had  they  remained  faithful  to  God? 

A.  The  chief  blessings  intended  for  Adam  and  Eve, 
had  they  remained  faithful  to  God,  were  a  constant  state 


On  Our  First  Parents  and  Their  Fall.  61 

of  happiness  in  this   life   and   everlasting   glory  in  the 
next. 

Our  ftrst  parents  and  their  children  were  not  to  remain  in 
the  garden  of  Paradise  forever,  but  were,  after  spending 
their  allotted  time  of  trial  or  probation  upon  earth,  to  be 
taken  body  and  soul  into  heaven  without  being  obliged  to 
die. 

43  Q.  Did  Adam  and  Eve  remain  faithful  to  God? 

A.  Adam  and  Eve  did  not  remain  faithful  to  God, 
but  broke  His  commandment  by  eating  the  forbidden 
fruit. 

A.S  it  is  told  in  the  Bible  (Genesis  iii.),  Eve  went  to 
the  forbidden  tree  and  was  standing  looking  at  it,  when 
the  devil  came  in  the  form  of  a  serpent  and,  tempting,  told 
her  to  take  some  of  the  fruit  and  eat.  It  does  not  appear  that 
she  wont  and  tasted  the  fruit  of  all  the  other  trees  and 
finally  came  to  this  one,  but  rather  that  she  went  directly  to 
the  forbidden  tree  first.  Do  we  not  sometimes  imitate  Eve's 
conduct  ?  As  soon  as  we  know  a  certain  thing  is  forbidden 
we  are  more  strongly  tempted  to  try  it. 

See,  then,  what  caused  Eve's  sin.  She  went  into  the  dan^ 
gerous  occasion,  and  was  admiring  the  forbidden  fruit  when 
the  tempter  came.  She  listened  to  him,  yielded  to  hia 
wicked  suggestions,  and  sinned.  So  will  it  be  with  us  if 
through  curiosity  we  desire  to  see  or  hear  things  forbidden; 
for  once  in  the  danger  the  devil  will  soon  be  on  hand  to  tempt 
us — not  visibly  indeed,  for  that  would  alarm  us  and  defeat  his 
purpo:~e,  but  invisibly,  like  our  guardian  angels;  for  the  devil 
is  a  fallen  angel  who  still  possesses  all  the  characteristics  of 
an  angel  except  goodness.  But  this  is  not  all.  Eve  not 
only  took  and  ate  the  fruit  herself,  but  induced  Adam  to  do 
likewise.  Most  sinners  imitate  Eve  in  that  respect.  Not 
satisfied  with  offending  God  themselves,  they  lead  others  into 
sin. 

Why  should  the  devil   ^-empt  "s?     ^tod  created  man  to  be 


62  On  Our  First  Parerds  and  Their  Fall. 

in  heaven,  but  the  fallen  angels  were  jealous  of  man,  and 
tempted  him  to  sin  so  that  he  too  should  be  kept  out  of  heaven 
and  might  never  enjoy  what  they  lost;  just  as  envious  people 
do  not  wish  others  to  have  wliat  they  cannot  have  themselves. 

44  Q.  What  ^befell  Adam  and  Eve  on  account  of  their 
sin? 

A.  Adam  and  Eve  on  account  of  their  sin  lost  inno- 
cence and  holiness,  and  were  doomed  to  sickness  and 
death. 

They  were  innocent  and  hoiy  because  they  were  the  friends 
of  God  and  in  a  state  of  grace,  but  by  their  sin  they  lost  His 
grace  and  friendship.  "  Doomed  "  means  sentenced  or  con- 
demned. The  first  evil  result,  then,  of  Adam's  sin  was  that 
he  lost  innocence  and  made  his  body  a  rebel  against  his  soul. 
Then  he  was  to  suffer  poverty,  hunger,  cold,  sickness,  death, 
and  every  kind  of  ill;  but  the  worst  consequence  of  all  was 
that  God  closed  heaven  against  him.  After  a  few  years'  trial, 
as  we  said,  God  was  to  take'him  into  heaven;  but  now  He  has 
closed  it  against  Adam  and  his  posterity.  All  the  people  in 
the  world  could  never  induce  God  to  open  it  again;  for  He 
closed  it  in  accordance  with  His  promise,  and  man  was  an 
exile  and  outcast  from  his  heavenly  home. 

45  Q.  What  evil  befell  us  on  account  of  the  disobedi- 
ence of  our  first  parents  ? 

A.  On  account  of  the  disobedience  of  our  first  pa- 
rents we  all  share  in  their  sin  and  punishment,  as  we 
should  have  shared  in  their  happiness  if  they  had  re= 
mained  faithful. 

Does  it  not  seem  strange  that  we  should  suffer  for  the  sin 
of  our  first  parents,  when  we  had  nothing  to  do  with  it?  No. 
It  happens  every  day  that  children  suffer  for  the  faults  of 
their  parents  and  we  do  not  wonder  at  it.  Let  us  suppose 
a  man's  father  leaves  him  a  large  fortune — houses,  land, 
and  money — and  that  he  and  his  children  are  happy  in 
the  enjoyment  of  their  inheritance.     The  children  are  sent  to 


On  Our  First  Parents  and  Their  FaE.  63 

the  best  schools,  have  everything  they  desire  now,  and 
bright  hopes  of  happiness  and  prosperity  in  the  future.  But 
alas!  their  hopes  are  vain.  The  father  begins  to  drink  or 
gamble,  and  soon  the  great  fortune  is  squandered.  House 
after  house  is  sold  and  dollar  after  dollar  spent,  till  absolute 
poverty  comes  upon  the  children,  and  the  sad  condition  of 
their  home  tells  of  their  distress.  Do  they  not  suffer  for  the 
sins  of  their  father,  though  they  had  nothing  to  do  with  them  ? 
Indeed,  many  families  in  the  world  suffer  thus  through  the 
faults  of  others,  and  most  frequently  of  some  of  their  mem. 
be**s.  Could  you  blame  the  grandfather  for  leaving  the  estate? 
Certainly  not;  for  it  was  goodness  on  his  part  that  made  him 
give.  Let  us  apply  this  example.  What  God  gave  Adam  was 
to  be  ours  also,  and  he  squandered  and  misused  it  because  he 
had  free  will,  which  God  could  got  take  from  him  without 
changing  his  nature  ;  for  it  is  our  free  will  and  intelligence 
that  make  us  men,  distinct  from  and  superior  to  all  other 
animals.  They  can  live,  grow,  feel,  hear,  see,  etc.,  as  we  can, 
but  the  want  of  intelligence  and  free-will  leaves  them  mere 
brutes.  Therefore,  if  God  took  away  Adam's  intelligence  and 
free  will,  He  would  have  made  him  a  mere  animal — though 
the  most  perfect. 

When  a  man  becomes  insane  or  loses  the  use  of  his  intelli' 
geuce  and  free  will,  we  place  him  in  an  asylum  and  take  care 
of  him  as  we  would  a  tame  animal,  seldom  allowing  him  to 
go  about  without  being  watched  and  guarded. 

Let  us  take  another  example.  Suppose  I  have  a  friend 
who  is  addicted  to  the  excessive  drinking  of  strong  liquor, 
and  I  say  to  him:  *'If  you  give  up  that  detestable  habit  for 
one  year,  I  will  make  jou  a  present  of  this  beautiful  house 
worth  several  thousand  dollars.  It  will  be  yoirrs  as  long 
as  you  live,  and  at  your  death  you  may  leave  it  to  your 
children.  I  do  not  owe  you  anything,  but  offer  this  as  a  free 
gift  if  you  comply  with  my  request."  My  friend  accepts  the 
offer  on  these  conditions,  but  the  very  next  day  deliber- 
ately breaks  his  promise.  I  do  not  give  him  the  house,  be- 
cause he  did  not  keep  his  agreement:  and  can  any  one  say 


64  On  Our  First  Parents  and  Their  Fall. 

on  that  account  that  I  am  unjust  or  unkind  to  him  or  his 
children  ?  Certainly  not.  Well,  God  acted  in  the  same 
manner  with  Adam.  He  promised  Inm  heaven,  a  home  more 
beautiful  tliaii  any  earthly  palace — the  place  Our  Loid  calls 
His  father's  house  (Jolin  xiv.  2)  and  says  there  are  many 
mansions,  that  is,  dwelling-places,  in  it.  God  prouiibcd  this 
home  to  Adam  on  condition  that  he  would  observe  one 
simple  command.  He  had  no  right  to  heaven,  but  was  to 
receive  it,  according  to  the  promise,  as  a  free  gift  from  God, 
and  therefore  God,  who  offered  it  conditioiially,  was  not 
obliged  to  give  it  when  Adam  violated  his  part  of  the 
agreement. 

The  example  is  not  a  perfect  one,  for  there  is  this  differ- 
ence in  the  cases  between  Adam  and  my  friend:  when  my 
friend  does  not  get  the  house,  he  sustains  a  loss,  it  is  true;  but 
he  might  still  be  my  friend  as  he  was  before,  and  live  in  my 
house;  but  when  Adam  lost  heaven,  he  lost  God's  friendship 
and  grace,  and  the  loss  of  all  grace  is  to  be  in  sin.  So  that 
Adam  by  bresiking  the  command  was  left  in  sin;  and  as  all 
his  children  sustain  the  same  loss,  they  too  are  all  left  in  sin 
till  they  are  baptized. 

*46  Q.  What  other  eflfocts  followed  from  the  sin  of  our 
nrst  parents? 

A.  Our  nature  was  corrupted  by  the  sin  of  our  first 
parents,  which  darkened  our  understanding,  weakened 
our  will,  and  left  us  a  strong  inclination  to  evil. 

Our  "nature  was  corrupted"  is  what  I  have  said  of  the 
body  rebelling  against  the  soul.  Our  "understanding  dark- 
ened." Adam  knew  much  more  without  study  than  tlie  most 
intelligent  men  could  learn  now  with  constant  application. 
Before  his  fall  he  saw  things  clearly  and  understood  them 
well,  but  after  his  sin  everything  had  to  be  learned  by  the 
slow  process  of  study.  Then  the  "will  was  weakened."  Be- 
fore he  fell  ho  could  easily  resist  temptation,  for  his  will  was 
strong.  You  know  we  sin  by  the  will,  because  unless  we  wish 
to  do  the  evil  we  commit  no  sin;  and  if   absolutely  forced 


On  Our  First  Parents  and  Their  FaU.  65 

by  others  tc  do  wrong,  we  are  free  from  the  guilt  as  long  as 
our  will  despises  and  protests  against  the  action.  If  forced, 
for  example,  to  break  my  neighbor's  window,  I  have  not 
to  answer  in  my  conscience  for  the  unjust  act,  because  my 
will  did  not  consent.  So,  on  every  occasion  on  which  we  sin,  it 
is  the  will  that  yields  to  the  temptation.  After  Adam's  sin 
his  will  became  weak  and  less  able  to  resist  temptation;  and 
as  we  are  sharers  in  his  misfortune,  we  find  great  difficulty  at 
times  in  overcoming  sinful  inclinations.  But  no  matter  how 
violent  the  temptation  or  how  prolonged  and  fierce  the 
struggle  against  it,  we  can  always  be  victorious  if  determined 
not  to  yield;  for  God  gives  us  sufficient  grace  to  resist  every 
temptation;  and  if  any  one  should  excuse  his  fall  by  saying 
he  could  not  help  sinning,  he  would  be  guilty  of  falsehood. 

•*  A  strong  inclination"  to  do  wrong, — that  is,  unless  always 
on  our  guard  against  it.  Our  Lord  once  cautioned  His 
apostles  (Matthew  xxvi.  41)  to  watch  and  pray  lest  they  fall 
into  temptation ;  teaching  us  also  by  the  same  warning  that, 
besides  praying  against  our  spiritual  enemies,  we  must  watch 
their  manoeuvres  and  be  ever  ready  to  repel  their  attacks. 

47  Q.  What  is  the  sin  called  which  we  inherit  from  our 
first  parents  ? 

A.  The  sin  which  we  inherit  firom  our  first  parents 
is  called  original  sin. 

*  48  Q.  Why  is  this  sin  called  original  P 

A.  This  sin  is  called  original  because  it  comes  down 
to  us  from  our  first  parents,  and  we  are  brought  into  th» 
world  with  its  guilt  on  our  souls. 

*  49  Q.  Does  this  corruption  of  our  nature  remain  in 
us  after  original  sin  is  forgiven? 

A.  This  corruption  of  our  nature  and  other  punish- 
ments remain  in  us  after  original  sin  is  forgiven. 

It  remains  that  we  may  merit  by  overcoming  its  tempt.-i' 
tions  ;  and  also  that  we  may  be  kept  humble  by  remembering 
our  former  sinful  and  unhappy  state. 


66  On  Our  First  Parents  and  Their  Fall. 

50  Q.  Was  any  one  ever  preserved  from  original  sinP 
A.  The  Blessed  Virgin   Mary,  through   the    merits  of 
her    divine  Son,  was   preserved   free   from   the  guilt   of 
original  sin,  and  this  privilege  is  called  her  Immaculate 
Conception. 

The  Blessed  Virgin  was  to  be  the  Mother  of  the  Son  of 
God.  Now  it  would  not  be  proper  for  the  Mother  of  God  to 
be  even  for  one  moment  the  servaiit  of  the  devil,  or  under  his 
power.  If  the  Blessed  Virgin  had  been  in  original  sin,  slie 
would  have  been  in  the  service  of  the  devil.  AVhatever  dis- 
graces a  mother  disgraces  also  her  son;  so  Our  Lord  would 
never  permit  His  dear  Mother  to  be  subject  to  the  devil,  and 
consequently  He,  through  His  merits,  saved  her  from  original 
sin.  She  is  the  only  one  of  the  whole  human  race  who  enjoys 
this  great  privilege,  and  it  is  called  her  "  Immaculate  Concep- 
tion," that  is,  she  was  conceived — brought  into  existence  by 
her  mother — without  having  any  spot  or  stain  of  sin  upon 
her  soul,  and  hence  without  original  sin. 

Our  Lord  came  into  the  world  to  crush  the  power  which 
the  devil  had  exercised  over  men  from  the  fall  of  Adam. 
This  He  did  by  meriting  grace  for  them  and  giving  them  this 
spiritual  help  to  withstand  the  devil  in  all  his  attacks  upon 
them.  As  the  Blessed  Mother  was  never  under  the  devil's 
power,  next  to  God  she  has  tlie  greatest  strength  against  him, 
and  she  will  help  us  to  resist  him  if  we  seek  her  aid.  The 
devil  himself  knows  her  power  and  fears  her,  and  if  he  sees 
her  coming  to  our  assistance  will  quickly  fly.  Never  fail, 
then,  in  time  of  temptation  to  call  upon  our  Blessed  Mother^ 
she  will  hear  and  help  you  and  pray  to  God  for  you. 


On  Sin  and  Its  Kinds.  67 


LESSON  SIXTH. 
ON  SIN  AND  ITS  KINDS. 

51  Q.  Is  original  sin  the  only  kind  of  sin? 

A.  Original  sin  is  not  the  only  kind  of  sin;  there  is 
another  kind  of  sin  which  we  commit  ourselves,  called 
actual  sin. 

Sin  is  first  or  chiefly  divided  into  origiual  and  actual ;  that 
is,  into  the  sin  we  inherit  from  our  first  parents  and  the  sin 
we  commit  ourselves.  We  may  commit  "  actual  "  sin  in  two 
ways  ;  either  by  doing  what  we  should  not  do — stealing,  for 
example — and  thus  we  have  a  sin  of  commission.,  that  is,  a 
bad  act  committed;  or  by  not  doing  what  we  should  do — not 
hearing  Mass  on  Sunday,  for  example — and  thus  we  have  a  sin 
of  omission,  that  is,  a  good  act  omitted.  So  it  is  not  enough 
to  simply  do  no  harm,  we  must  also  do  some  good.  Heaven 
is  a  reward,  and  we  must  do  something  to  merit  it.  Suppose 
a  man  employed  a  boy  to  do  the  work  of  his  office,  and  when 
he  came  in  the  morning  found  that  the  boy  had  neglected  the 
work  assigned  to  him,  and  when  spoken  to  about  it  simply 
answered:  "  Sir,  I  did  no  harm;"  do  you  think  he  would  be 
entitled  to  his  wages?  Of  course  he  did  not  and  should  do 
no  harm  ;  but  is  his  employer  to  pay  him  wages  for  that  ? 
Certainly  not.  In  like  manner,  God  is  not  going  to  reward 
us  for  doing  no  harm  ;  bnt  on  the  contrary,  He  will  punish 
us  if  we  do  wrong,  and  give  no  reward  unless  we  perform  the 
work  He  has  marked  out  for  us.  Neither  would  the  office- 
boy  deserve  any  wages  if  he  did  only  what  pleases  himself, 
and  not  the  work  assigned  by  his  master.  In  the  same  way, 
God  will  not  accept  any  worship  or  religion  but  the  one  He 
has  revealed.  He  tells  us  Himself  how  He  wishes  to  be  wor- 
shipped, and  our  own  invented  methods  will  not  please  Him. 


68  On  Sin  aivd  Its  Kinds. 

Hence  we  see  the  folly  of  those  who  say  that  all  religions  are 
equally  good,  and  that  we  can  be  saved  by  practising  any  of 
them.  We  can  be  saved  only  in  the  one  religion  which  God 
Himself  lias  instituted,  and  by  which  He  wishes  to  be  honored. 
Many  also  foolishly  believe,  or  say  they  believe,  that  if  they 
are  honest,  sober,  and  the  like,  doing  no  injury  to  any  one, 
they  shall  be  saved  without  the  practice  of  any  form  of  relig- 
ious worship.  But  how  about  God's  laws  and  commands  ? 
Are  they  to  be  despised,  disregarded,  and  neglected  entirely, 
without  any  fear  of  punishment?  Surely  not !  And  persons 
who  thus  think  they  are  doing  no  harm  are  neglecting  to 
serve  God — the  greatest  harm  they  can  do,  and  for  which  they 
will  lose  heaven.  God,  we  are  told,  assigned  to  every  one  in 
this  world  a  certain  work  to  perform  in  a  particular  state 
of  life,  and  this  work  is  called  "vocation."  One,  for  in- 
stance, is  to  be  a  priest  ;  another,  a  layman  ;  one  married  ; 
another  single,  etc.  It  is  important  for  us  to  discover  our 
true  vocation;  for  if  we  are  in  the  state  of  life  to  which  God 
has  called  us,  we  shall  be  happy;  but  if  we  select  our  own 
work,  our  own  state  of  life  without  consulting  Him,  we  shall 
seldom  be  happy  in  it.  How  are  we  to  know  our  vocation  ? 
Chiefly  by  praying  to  God  and  asking  Him  to  make  it  known 
to  us.  Then  if  He  gives  us  a  strong  inclination — constant, 
or  nearly  constant — for  a  certain  state  of  life,  and  the  ability 
to  fulfil  its  duties,  we  may  well  believe  that  God  wishes  us  to 
be  in  that  state. 

After  we  have  begged  God's  assistance,  we  must  ask  our 
confessor's  advice  in  the  matter,  and  listen  attentively  to 
what  the  Holy  Ghost  inspires  him  to  say.  The  signs  of  our 
vocation  are,  therefore,  as  stated  :  first,  a  strong  desire,  and 
second,  an  aptitude  for  the  state  to  which  we  believe  we  are 
called.  For  example,  a  young  man  might  be  very  holy,  but 
if  unable  to  learn,  he  could  never  be  a  iDriest.  Another  might 
be  very  learned  and  holy,  but  if  too  sickly  to  perform  a 
priest's  duties,  he  could  not,  or  at  least  would  not,  be  ordained. 
Another  might  be  learned  and  healthy,  but  not  virtuous, 
and  so  he  could   never  be   a  priest.    Aptitude,  therefore. 


On  Sin  and  Its  Kinds.  69 

Itieans  all  the  qualities  necessary,  whether  of  mind,  or  soul^ 
o:;*  body.  The  same  is  true  for  a  young  girl  who  wishes  to  be- 
come a  religious;  and  the  same,  indeed,  for  any  person's  voca- 
tion. We  sliould  never  enter  a  state  of  life  to  which  we  are 
not  called,  simply  to  please  parents  or  others.  Neither  should 
we  be  persuaded  by  them  to  give  up  a  state  to  which  we  are 
called  ;  for  we  should  embrace  our  true  vocation  at  any  sacri- 
fice, that  in  it  we  may  serve  God  better,  and  be  more  certain 
of  saving  our  souls.  Thus,  parents  and  guardians  Avho  pre- 
vent their  children  from  entering  the  state  to  which  they 
are  called,  may  sin  grievously  by  exposing  them  to  eternal 
loss  of  salvation.  Their  sin  is  all  the  greater  when  they  try 
to  influence  their  children  in  this  matter  for  selfish  or 
worldly  motives.  As  they  may  be  selfish  and  prejudiced 
without  knowing  it,  they  too,  should  ask  the  advice  of  their 
confessor,  and  good  persons  of  experience.  Oh  !  how  many 
children,  sons  and  daughters,  are  made  unhappy  all  the  days 
of  their  life  by  parents  or  superiors  forcing  them  into  some 
state  to  which  they  were  not  called,  or  by  keeping  them  from 
one  to  which  they  were  called.  This  matter  of  your  vocation 
rests  with  yourselves  and  Almighty  God,  and  you  are  free  to 
do  what  He  directs  without  consideration  for  any  one. 

52  Q.  What  is  actual  sin? 

A.  Actual  sin  is  any  wilful  thought,  word,   deed,  or 
omission  contrary  to  the  law  of  God. 

Three  ways  we  may  sin,  by  "thought," — allowing  our  minds 
to  dwell  on  sinful  things  ;  "word,"— by  cursing,  telling  lies, 
etc.;  "deed," — by  any  kind  of  bad  action.  But  to  be  sins, 
these  thoughts,  words,  and  deeds  must  be  wilful  ;  that  is,  we 
must  fully  know  what  we  are  doing,  and  be  free  in  doing  it. 
Then  they  must  be  "contrary  to  the  law  of  God;"  that  is,  • 
violate  some  law  He  commands  us  to  obey,  whether  it  be  a 
law  He  gave  directly  Himself,  or  through  His  Church.  We 
can  also  violate  God's  law  by  neglecting  to  observe  it,  and 
thus  sin,  provided  the  neglect  be  wilful,  and  the  thing  neg- 
lected commanded  by  God  or  by  His  Church 


70  On  Sin  and  Its  Kinds. 

53  Q.  How  many  kinds  of  actual  sin  are  there  ? 

A.  Tliere  are   two  kinds   of  actual   sin  — mortal  and 
venial. 

"Mortal,"  that  is,  the  sin  which  kills  the  soul.  When  a 
man  receives  a  very  severe  wound,  we  say  he  is  mortally 
wounded ;  that  is,  he  will  die  from  the  wound-  As  breath 
shows  there  is  life  in  the  body,  so  grace  is  the  life  of  the  soul ; 
when  all  the  breath  is  out  of  the  body,  we  say  the  man  is 
dead.  He  can  perform  no  action  to  help  himself  or  others. 
So  when  all  grace  is  out  of  the  soul  we  say  it  is  dead,  because 
it  is  reduced  to  the  condition  of  a  dead  body.  It  can  do  no 
action  worthy  of  merit,  such  as  a  soul  should  do  ;  that  is,  it 
can  do  no  action  that  God  is  bound  to  reward — it  is  dead. 
But  you  will  say  the  soul  never  dies.  You  mean  it  will  never 
cease  to  exist;  but  we  call  it  dead  when  it  has  lost  all  its 
power  to  do  supernatural  good. 

"Venial"  sin  does  not  drive  out  all  the  grace;  it  wounds 
the  soul,  it  weakens  it  just  as  slight  wounds  weaken  the  body. 
If  it  falls  very  frequently  into  venial  sin,  it  will  fall  very  soon 
into  mortal  sin  also ;  for  the  Holy  Scripture  says  (Ecclus.  xix. 
1)  that  he  that  contemneth  small  things  shall  fall  by  little  and 
little.  A  venial  sin  seems  a  little  thing,  but  if  we  do  not 
avoid  it  we  shall  by  degrees  fall  into  greater,  or  mortal,  sin. 
Venial  sin  makes  God  less  friendly  to  us  and  displeases  Him. 
Now  if  we  really  love  God,  we  will  not  displease  Him  even  in 
the  most  trifling  things. 

54  Q.  "What  is  mortal  sin? 

A.  Mortal  sin  is  a  grievous  offence  against  the  law  of 
^k)d. 

"  Grievous" — that  is,  very  great  or  serious.  "  Against  the 
law."  If  we  are  in  doubt  whether  anything  is  sinful  or  not, 
we  must  ask  ourselves:  is  it  forbidden  by  God  or  His  Church  ? 
and  if  we  do  not  know  of  any  law  forbidding  it,  it  cannot  be 
a  sin,  at  least,  for  us. 

Suppose,  for  example,  a  boy  should  doubt  whether  it  is 


On  Sin  and  Its  Kinds.  71 

sinful  or  not  to  fly  a  kite.  Well,  is  there  any  law  of  God  or 
of  His  Church  saying  it  is  sinful  to  fly  a  kite?  If  not,  then 
it  cannot  be  a  sin.  But  it  might  be  sinful  for  another  reason, 
namely,  his  parents  or  superiors  might  forbid  it,  and  there  is 
a  law  of  God  saying  you  must  not  disobey  your  parents  or 
superiors.  Therefore  a  thing  not  sinful  in  itself,  that  is,  not 
directly  forbidden  by  God  or  His  Church,  may  become  sinful 
for  some  other  reason  well  known  to  us. 

We  must  not,  however,  doubt  concerning  the  sinfulness  or 
lawfulness  of  everything  we  do;  for  that  would  be  foolish 
and  lead  us  to  be  scrupulous.  If  we  doubt  at  all  we  should 
have  some  good  reason  for  doubting,  that  is,  for  believing 
that  the  thing  we  are  about  to  do  is  or  is  not  forbidden. 
When,  therefore,  we  have  such  a  doubt  we  must  seek  in* 
formation  from  those  who  can  enlighten  us  on  the  sub- 
ject, so  that  we  may  act  without  the  danger  of  sinning. 
It  is  our  intention  that  makes  the  act  we  perform  sinful  or 
not.  Let  me  explain.  Suppose  a  person  should  mistake 
Friday  for  Thursday  and  should  eat  meat,  that  person  would 
not  commit  a  real  sin,  because  it  is  not  a  sin  to  eat  meat  or 
an  ordinary  Thursday.  He  would  commit  what  we  call  a 
material  sin ;  that  is,  his  action  would  be  a  sin  if  he  really 
knew  what  he  was  doing.  On  the  other  hand,  if  the  person, 
thinking  it  was  Friday  when  it  was  really  Thursday,  ate  meat, 
knowing  it  to  be  forbidden,  that  person  would  commit  a 
mortal  sin,  because  he  intended  to  do  so.  Therefore,  if  what 
V'e  do  is  not  known  to  be  a  sin  while  we  do  it,  it  is  no  sin  for 
Us  and  cannot  become  a  sin  afterwards.  But  as  soon  as  we 
know  or  learn  that  what  we  did  was  wrong,  it  would  be  a  sin 
if  we  did  the  same  thing  again.  In  the  same  way,  everything 
we  do  thinking  it  to  be  wrong  or  sinful  is  wrong  and  sinful 
for  us,  though  it  may  not  be  wrong  for  those  who  know 
better.  Again,  it  is  sinful  to  judge  others  for  doing  wrong, 
because  they  may  not  know  that  what  they  do  is  sinful.  It 
would  be  better  for  us  to  instruct  than  to  blame  them.  The 
best  we  can  do,  therefore,  is  to  learn  well  all  God's  laws  and 
the  laws  of  His  Church  as  thev  are  taught  in  the  catechism. 


72  On  Sin  and  Its  Kinds. 

so  that  we  may  know  when  we  arc  violating  them  or  when  w« 
are  not,  i.e.,  when  we  are  sinning  and  when  we  are  not 

*  55  Q.  Why  is  this  sin  called  mortal  ? 

A.  This  sin  is  called  mortal  because  it  deprives  us 
of  spiritual  life,  which  is  sanctifying  grace,  and  bring? 
everlasting  death  and  damnation  on  the  soul. 

When  the  soul  is  sent  to  hell  it  is  dead  forever,  because 
never  again  will  it  be  able  to  do  a  single  meritorious  act. 

*  56  Q.  How  many  things  are  necessary  to  make  a  sin 
mortal  ? 

A.  To  make  a  sin  mortal  three  things  are  necessary ; 
a  grievous  matter,  sufficient  reflection,  and  full  consent 
of  the  will. 

^*  Grievous  matter."  To  steal  is  a  sin.  Now,  if  you  steal 
only  a  pin  the  act  of  stealing  in  that  case  could  not  be  a 
mortal  sin,  because  the  ''  matter,"  namely,  the  stealing  of  an 
ordinary  pin,  is  not  grievous.  But  suppose  it  was  a  diamond 
pin  of  great  value,  then  it  would  surely  be  "  grievous  matter." 
"Sufficient  reflection,"  that  is,  you  must  know  what  you  are 
doing  at  the  time  you  do  it.  For  example,  suppose  while 
you  stole  the  diamond  pin  you  thought  you  were  stealing 
a  pin  with  a  small  piece  of  glass,  of  little  value,  you  would 
not  have  sufficient  reflection  and  would  not  commit  a  mortal 
sin  till  you  found  out  that  what  you  had  stolen  was  a  valuable 
diamond;  if  you  continued  to  keep  it  after  learning  your  mis 
take,  you  would  surely  commit  a  mortal  sin.  "  Full  consent.' 
Suppose  you  were  shooting  at  a  target  and  accidentally  killed 
a  man :  you  would  not  have  the  sin  of  murder,  because  you 
did  not  will  or  wish  to  kill  a  man. 

Therefore  three  things  are  necessary  that  your  act  may  be 
a  mortal  sin:  (1)  The  act  you  do  must  be  bad,  and  sufficiently 
important;  (2)  You  must  reflect  that  you  are  doing  it,  and 
know  that  it  is  wrong;  (3)  You  must  do  it  freely,  deliber- 
ately, and  wilfullv 


On  Sin  and  Its  Kinds.  73 

57  Q.  "What  is  venial  sin? 

A.  Venial  sin  is  a  slight  offence  against  the  law  of 
Grod  in  matters  of  less  importance,  or  in  matters  of  great 
importance  it  is  an  offence  committed  without  sufiB.cient 
reflection  or  full  consent  of  the  will. 

"  Slight,"  that  is,  a  small  offence  or  fault ;  called  "  venial," 
not  because  it  is  not  a  sin,  but  because  God  pardons  it  more 
willingly  or  easily  than  He  does  a  mortal  sin.  "Less  impor. 
tance,"  like  stealing  an  ordinary,  common  pin.  "  Great  impor- 
tance," like  stealing  a  diamond  pin.  Without  "reflection" 
or  "consent,"  when  you  did  not  know  it  was  a  diamond  and 
did  not  intend  to  steal  a  diamond. 

*  58  Q.  Which  are  the  effects  of  venial  sin  P 
A.  The  effects  of  venial  sin  are  the  lessening  of  the 
love  of  God  in  our  heart,  the  making  us  less  worthy 
of  His  help,  and  the  weakening  of  the  power  to  resist 
mortal  sin. 

"  Lessening  of  the  love,"  because  it  lessens  grace,  and  grace 
increases  the  love  of  God  in  us.  It  dispi3uses  God,  and 
though  we  do  not  offend  Him  very  greatly,  we  still  offend 
Him.  "Weakening  of  the  power  to  resist."  If  a  man  is 
wounded,  it  will  be  easier  to  kill  him  than  if  he  is  in  perfect 
health.  So  mortal  sin  will  more  easily  kill  a  soul  already 
weakened  by  the  wounds  of  venial  sin. 

59  Q.  Which  are  the  chief  sources  of  sin  ? 

A.  The  chief  sources  of  sin  are  seven :  Pride,  Covet- 
ousness,  Lust,  Anger,  Gluttony,  Envy,  and  Sloth;  and 
they  are  commonly  called  capital  sins. 

A  'source"  is  that  from  which  anything  else  comee. 
Tlie  source  of  a  river  is  the  little  spring  on  the  mountain 
side  where  the  river  first  begins.  This  little  stream  runs 
down  the  mountnin,  and  ns  it  goes  along  gathers  strength 
and  size  from  other  little  streams  running  into  it.  It  cuts 
r.^j  way  through  the  meadows,  and  marks  the  course  and  is 


74  On  Sin  and  Its  Kinds. 

the  beginning  of  a  great  river,  sweeping  all  things  before  it 
and  canning  them  off  to  the  ocean.  Now,  if  some  one  in  the 
beginning  had  stopped  up  the  little  spring  on  the  mountain 
— the  first  source  of  the  river — there  would  have  been  no 
river  in  that  particular  place.  It  is  just  the  same  with 
sin.  There  is  one  sin  that  is  the  source,  and  as  it  goes  along 
like  the  stream  it  gathers  strength;  other  sins  follow  it  and 
are  united  with  it.  Again:  each  of  these  "capital  sins,"  as 
they  are  called,  is  like  a  leader  or  a  captain  in  an  army,  with 
so  many  others  under  him  and  following  him.  Now,  if  you 
take  away  the  head,  the  other  members  of  the  body  will  perish; 
so  if  you  destroy  the  capital  sin,  the  other  sins  that  follow  it 
will  disappear  also.  Very  few  persons  have  all  the  capital 
sins:  some  are  guilty  of  one  of  them,  some  of  two,  some  of 
three,  but  few  if  any  are  guilty  of  them  all.  The  one  we  are 
guilty  of,  and  which  is  the  cause  of  all  our  other  sins-  is 
called  our  predominant  sin  or  our  riding  passio7i.  We  should 
try  to  find  it  out,  and  labor  to  overcome  it. 

Every  one  of  these  capital  sins  has  a  great  many  other 
sins  following  it. 

"  Pride  "  is  an  inordinate  self-esteem.  Pride  comes  under 
the  first  commandment;  because  by  thinking  too  much  of 
ourselves  we  neglect  God,  and  give  to  ourselves  the  honor  due 
to  Him.  Of  what  have  we  to  be  proud  ?  Of  our  personal 
appearance  ?  Disease  may  efface  in  one  night  every  trace  of 
beauty.  Of  our  clothing  ?  It  is  not  ours ;  we  have  not  pro- 
duced it ;  most  of  it  is  taken  from  the  lower  animals — wool 
from  the  sheep,  leather  from  the  ox,  feathers  from  the  bird, 
etc.  Are  we  proud  of  our  wealth,  money  or  property  ? 
These  may  be  stolen  or  destroyed  by  fire.  The  learned 
may  become  insane,  and  so  we  have  nothing  to  be  proud 
of  but  our  good  works.  All  that  we  have  is  from  God,  and 
we  can  have  it  only  as  long  as  He  wishes.  We  had  nothing 
coming  into  the  world,  and  we  leave  it  with  nothing  but  tha 
shroud  in  which  we  are  buried;  and  even  this  does  not  go 
with  the  soul,  but  remains  with  the  body  to  rot  in  the  earth- 


On  Sin  and  Its  Kinds.  75 

Soon  after  death  our  bodies  become  so  offensive  that  even  our 
dearest  friends  hasten  to  place  them  under  ground,  wliere 
they  become  the  food  of  worms,  a  mass  of  corruption  loath- 
some to  sight  and  smell.  Why,  then,  should  v/e  be  so  proud 
of  this  body^  and  commit  so  much  sin  for  it,  pamper  it  with 
every  delicacy,  only  to  be  the  food  of  worms  ?  This  does  not 
mean,  however,  that  we  are  not  to  k'eep  our  bodies  clean,  and 
take  good  care  of  them.  We  are  bound  to  do  so,  and  could 
not  neglect  it  without  committing  sin.  The  one  thing  to  be 
avoided  is  taking  too  much  care  of  them,  and  neglecting  our 
soul  and  God  on  their  account.  The  followers  of  pride  are: 
Conceit,  hypocrisy,  foolish  display  in  dress  or  conduct,  harsh- 
ness to  others,  waste  of  time  on  ourselves,  etc.  "  Covetous- 
ness,"  the  same  as  avarice,  greed,  etc.,  is  an  inordinate  desire 
for  worldly  goods.  "Inordinate,"  because  it  is  not  avarice  to 
prudently  provide  for  the  future  either  for  ourselves  or 
others.  Covetousness  comes  under  the  tenth  commandment, 
and  is  forbidden  by  it.  We  must  be  content  with  what  we 
have  or  can  get  honestly.  The  followers  of  covetousness  are: 
Want  of  charity,  dishonest  dealing,  theft,  etc.  "Lust"  is 
the  desire  for  sins  of  the  flesh;  for  impure  thoughts,  words, 
or  actions.  It  comes  under  the  sixth  and  ninth  command- 
ments, and  includes  all  that  is  forbidden  by  those  command- 
ments. It  is  the  habit  of  always  violating,  or  of  desiring  to 
violate,  the  sixth  and  ninth  commandments.  Lust  and  im- 
purity mean  the  same  thing.  The  followers  of  lust  are, 
generally,  neglect  of  prayer,  neglect  of  the  sacrameiits,  and 
final  loss  of  faith.  

"Anger"  comes  under  the  fifth  commandment.  It  is 
followed  by  hatred,  the  desire  of  revenge,  etc. 

"  Gluttony "  is  the  sin  of  eating  or  drinking  too  much. 
With  regard  to  eating,  it  is  committed  by  eating  too  often; 
by  being  too  particular  about  what  we  eat,  by  being  too  ex- 
travagant in  always  looking  for  the  most  costly  things,  that 
we  think  others  cannot  have.  With  regard  to  drinking,  it  is 
generally  committed  by  taking  too  much  of  intoxicating 


76  On  Sin  and  Its  Kinds. 

liquors.  The  drunkard  is  a  glutton  aiid  commits  the  sin  of 
gluttony  every  time  he  becomes  intoxicated.  Gluttony,  es- 
pecially in  drink,  comes  in  a  manner  under  the  first  com- 
mandment, because  by  depriving  ourselves  of  our  reason  we 
cannot  give  God  the  honor  and  respect  which  is  His  due. 
Think  of  how  many  sins  the  drunkard  commits.  He  becomes 
intoxicated,  which  in  itself  is  a  sin.  He  deprives  himself  of 
the  use  of  reason,  abuses  God's  great  gift,  and  becomes  like  a 
brute  beast.  Indeed  in  a  way  he  becomes  worse  than  a  beast; 
for  beasts  always  follow  the  laws  that  God  has  given  to  their 
nature,  and  never  drink  to  excess.  They  obey  God,  and  man 
is  the  only  one  of  God's  creatures  that  does  not  always 
keep  His  laws.  Think  too  of  the  number  of  insane  peisons 
confined  in  asylums,  who  would  give  all  in  this  world  for  the 
use  of  their  reason,  if  they  could  only  understand  their  mis- 
erable condition.  Yet  the  drunkard  abuses  the  gift  that 
would  make  these  poor  unfortunate  lunatics  happy.  Again, 
the  drunkard  injures  his  health  and  tlius  violates  the  fifth 
commandment  by  committing  a  kind  of  slow  suicide.  He 
loses  self-respect,  makes  use  of  sinful  language;  frequently 
neglects  Mass  and  all  his  religious  duties,  exposes  himself  to 
the  danger  of  death  while  in  a  state  of  sin,  gives  scandal 
to  his  family  and  neighbors,  and  by  his  ba. .  example  causes 
some  to  leave  or  remain  out  of  the  true  Church.  By  con- 
tinued intemperance,  he  may  become  insane  and  remain 
in  that  condition  till  death  puts  an  end  to  his  career  and 
he  goes  unprepared  before  the  judgment-seat  of  God. 
Besides  all  this  he  squanders  the  money  he  should  put  to 
a  better  use  and  turns  God's  gifts  into  a  means  of  offending 
Him.  If  a  father,  he  neglects  the  children  and  wife  for  whom 
he  has  promised  to  provide;  leaves  them  cold  and  hungry 
while  he  commits  sin  with  the  means  that  would  make  them 
comfortable.  Drunkenness  therefore  is  a  sin  accompanied  by 
many  deplorable  evils.  There  are  three  great  sins  you  should 
always  be  on  your  guard  against  during  your  whole  lives, 
namely,  drunkenness,  dishonesty,  and  impurity.   If  you  avoid 


On  Sin  and  Its  Kinds.  77 

these  you  will  almost  surely  avoid  all  other  sins;  for  nearly  all 
sins  can  be  traced  back  to  these  three.  They  are  the  most  dan- 
gerous, first,  because  they  have  most  followers,  and,  secondly, 
because  they  grow  upon  us  almost  without  our  knowing  it. 
The  drunkard  begins  perhaps  as  a  boy  by  taking  a  little,  even 
very  little;  the  second  time  he  takes  a  little  more;  the  next 
time  still  more,  then  he  begins  to  be  fond  of  strong  drink  and 
can  scarcely  do  without  it;  finally  he  becomes  the  slave  of  in- 
temperance and  sells  his  soul  and  body  for  it.  The  passions 
of  dishonesty  and  impurity  grow  by  degrees  in  the  same  man^ 
ner.  Therefore  avoid  them  in  the  beginning  and  resist  them 
while  they  are  under  your  power.  If  you  find  yourself  in- 
clined to  any  of  these  sins  in  your  youth,  stop  them  at  once. 

"Envy"  is  the  desire  to  see  another  meet  with  misfortune 
that  we  may  be  benefited  by  it.  We  are  glad  when  he  does 
not  succeed  in  his  business,  we  are  sorry  when  any  one  speaks 
well  of  him,  etc.  Envy  comes  under  the  eighth  command- 
ment. 

"Sloth"  is  committed  when  we  idle  our  time,  and  are 
lazy;  when  we  are  indifferent  about  serving  God;  when  we 
do  anything  slowly  and  poorly  and  in  a  way  that  shows  we 
would  rather  not  do  i  .  They  are  slothful  who  lie  in  bed  late  in 
the  morning  and  neglect  their  duty.  Slothful  people  are  often 
untidy  in  their  personal  appearance;  and  they  are  nearly 
always  in  misery  and  want,  unless  somebody  else  takes  care  of 
them.  Sloth  comes  under  the  first  commandment,  because  it 
has  reference  in  a  special  manner  to  the  way  in  which  we 
serve  God.  How,  then,  shall  we  best  destroy  sin  in  our  souls  ? 
By  finding  out  oar  chief  capital  sin  and  rooting  it  out.  If  a 
strong  oak  tree  is  deeply  rooted  in  the  ground,  how  will  you 
best  destroy  its  life  ?  By  cutting  off  the  branches  ?  No.  For 
Avith  each  recurning  spring  new  branches  will  grow.  How 
then  ?  By  cutting  the  root,  and  then  the  great  oak  with  all 
its  branches  will  die.  In  the  same  way  our  capital  sin  is  the 
root,  and  as  long  as  we  leave  it  in  our  souls  other  sins  will 
grow  out  of  it.     While  we  are  trving  to  destroy  our  sins  with« 


78  On  Sin  and  Its  Kinds. 

out  touching  our  capital  sin — our  chief  sin — we  are  only  cnt- 
ting  off  branches  that  will  grow  again.  Indeed  a  great  many 
people  are  only  cutting  off  branches  all  the  time  and  that  is 
why  they  are  not  benefited  as  much  as  they  could  be  by  the 
prayers  they  say,  Masses  they  hear,  sacraments  they  receive, 
and  sermons  they  listen  to.  But  do  not  imagine  that  because 
you  are  not  becoming  better,  when  you  pray,  hear  Mass,  and 
receive  the  sacraments,  you  are  doing  no  good  at  all.  That 
would  be  a  great  mistake,  and  just  such  a  thing  as  the  devi] 
would  suggest  to  make  persons  give  up  their  devotions.  What 
is  the  use,  he  might  say,  of  your  trying  to  be  good?  you  are 
just  as  bad  as  you  were  a  year  ago.  Do  not  listen  to  that 
temptation.  Were  it  not  for  your  prayers  and  your  reception 
of  the  sacraments,  you  would  become  a  great  deal  worse  than 
you  are.  Suppose  a  man  is  rowing  on  the  river  against  a  very 
strong  tide.  He  is  rowing  as  hard  as  he  can  and  yet  he  is  net 
advancing  one  foot  up  the  stream.  Is  he  doing  nothing  there, 
fore  ?  Ah !  he  is  doing  a  great  deal :  he  is  preventing  himselj 
from  being  carried  with  the  current  out  into  the  ocean.  lie 
is  keeping  himself  where  he  is  till  the  force  of  the  tide 
diminishes,  and  then  he  can  advance.  So  they  who  are  trying 
to  be  good  are  struggling  against  the  strong  tide  of  tempta- 
tion.  If  they  cease  to  struggle  against  it,  they  will  be  carried 
out  into  the  great  ocean  of  sin  and  lost  forever.  Some  day 
the  temptation  will  grow  weaker  and  then  they  will  be  able 
to  advance  towards  heaven.  We  feel  temptations  most  when 
we  are  trying  to  resist  them  and  lead  good  lives,  because  we 
are  working  against  our  evil  inclinations — the  strong  tide  of 
our  passions.     We  have  no  trouble  going  with  them. 


On  tJve  Incarnation  and  Bedemption.  79 


LESSON  SEVENTH. 

0]Sf   THE   INCARNATION  AND   REDEMPTION. 

"Incarnation"  means  to  take  flesh,  as  a  body.  Here  it 
means  Our  Lord's  taking  flesh,  that  is,  taking  a  body  like  ours, 
when  He  became  man.  "  Redemption"  means  to  buy  back.  Let 
us  take  an  example.  Slaves  are  men  or  women  that  belong 
entirely  to  their  masters,  just  as  horses,  cows,  or  other  animals 
do.  Slaves  are  bought  and  sold,  never  receive  any  wages  for 
their  work,  get  their  food  and  clothing  and  no  more.  As 
they  never  earn  money  for  themselves,  they  can  never  pur- 
chase their  own  liberty.  If  ever  they  are  to  be  free  some  one 
else  must  procure  their  liberty.  Now,  suppose  I  am  in  some 
country  where  slavery  exists.  I  am  free,  but  I  want  one  liun- 
dred  dollars;  so  I  go  to  a  slave  owner  and  say:  I  want  to  sell 
myself  for  one  hundred  dollars.  He  buys  me  and  I  soon 
squander  the  one  hundred  dollars.  Now  I  am  his  property, 
his  slave;  I  shall  never  earn  any  wages  and  shall  never  be  able 
to  buy  my  freedom.  No  other  slave  can  help  me,  for  he  is 
just  in  the  same  condition  as  I  myself  am.  If  I  am  to  be  free, 
a  free  man  who  has  the  money  must  pay  for  my  liberty.  This 
is  exactly  the  condition  in  which  all  men  were  before  Our 
Lord  redeemed  them.  Adam  sold  himself  and  all  his  chil- 
dren to  the  devil  by  committing  sin.  He  and.  they  therefore 
became  slaves.  They  could  not  earn  any  spiritual  wages,  that 
is,  grace  of  God  to  purchase  their  liberty;  and  as  all  men  were 
slaves  one  could  not  help  another  in  this  matter.  Then  Our 
Lord  Himself  came  and  purchased  our  freedom.  He  bought 
us  back  again,  and  the  price  He  paid  was  His  own  life  and 
blood  given  up  upon  the  cross.  In  His  goodness,  He  did  more 
than  redeem  us;  He  gave  us  also  the  means  of  redeeming  our- 
selves in  case  we  should  ever  have  the  misfortune  of  falling 


80  On  the  Incarnation  and  Redemption. 

ftgain  into  the  slavery  of  the  devil — into  sin.  He  left  us  the 
Sacrament  of  Penance  to  which  we  can  go  as  to  a  bank,  and 
draw  out  enough  of  Our  Lord's  grace — merited  for  us  and  de- 
posited in  the  power  of  His  Church — to  purchase  our  redemp 
tion  from  sin. 

60  Q.  Did  God  abandon  man  after  he  fell  into  sin? 

A.  God  did  not  abandon  man  after  he  fell  into  sin, 
but  promised  him  a  Redeemer,  who  was  to  satisfy  for 
man's  sin  and  reopen  to  Mm  the  gates  of  heaven. 

"Abandon"  means  to  leave  to  one's  self.  Adam  and  his 
posterity  were  slaves,  but  God  took  pity  on  them.  He  did  not 
leave  them  to  themselves,  but  promised  to  help  them. 

*'  Gates  of  heaven."  Heaven  has  no  gates,  because  it  is 
not  built  of  material — of  stone,  or  iron,  or  wood.  It  is  only 
our  way  of  speaking;  just  as  we  say  "  hand  of  God,"  although 
He  has  no  hands.  Heaven  is  the  magnificent  home  God  has 
prepared  for  us,  and  its  gates  are  His  power  by  which  He 
keeps  us  out  or  lets  us  in  as  He  pleases.  Our  Lord,  therefore, 
obtained  admittance  for  us. 

61  Q.  Who  is  the  Redeemer? 

A.  Our  Blessed  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ  is  the 
Redeemer  of  mankind. 

62  Q.  "What  do  you  believe  of  Jesus  Christ? 

A.  I  believe  that  Jesus  Christ  is  the  Son  of  God,  the 
second  Person  of  the  Blessed  Trinity,  true  God  and  true 
man. 

"True  God."  He  was  true  God  equal  to  His  Father  from 
all  eternity.  He  became  man  when  He  came  ujion  the  earth 
about  2000  years  ago,  and  was  born  on  Christmas  day.  Now 
He  is  in  heaven  as  God  and  man.  Therefore,  He  was  God 
always,  but  man  only  from  the  time  of  His  incarnation. 

*  63  Q.  Why  is  Jesus  Christ  true  God? 
A.  Jesus  Christ  is  true  God  because  He  is  the  true 
and  only  Son  of  God  the  Father. 


On  the  Incarnation  and  Redemption.  81 

ijod  the  Father,  first  Person  of  the  Blessed  Trinity,  is  His 
real  Father,  and  St.  Joseph  was  His  foster-father,  selected  by 
the  Heavenly  Father  to  take  care  of  Our  Lord  and  watch  over 
Him  while  on  earth.  A  foster-father  is  not  the  same  as  a 
step-father.  A  step-father  is  a  second  father  that  one  gets 
Avhen  his  real  father  dies.  A  foster-father  is  one  who  takes  a 
person,  whether  a  relative  or  a  stranger,  and  adopts  him  as  his 
son.  It  was  a  very  great  honor  for  St.  Joseph  to  be  selected 
from  among  all  men  to  take  care  of  the  Son  of  God ;  to  carry 
in  his  arms  the  great  One  of  whom  the  prophets  spoke  ;  the 
One  for  whom  the  whole  world  longed  during  so  many  thou- 
sand years ;  so  that  next  to  our  Blessed  Mother  St.  Joseph 
deserves  our  greatest  honor. 

*  64  Q.  Why  is  Jesus  Christ  true  man  ? 
A.  Jesus  Christ  is  true  man  because  He  is  the  Son 
of  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary,  and  has  a  body  and  soul 
like  ours. 

He  has  all  that  we  have  by  nature,  but  not  the  things  we 
have  acquired;  such  as  deformities,  imperfections,  and  the 
like.  Everything  in  Our  Lord  was  perfect.  Above  all,  He 
had  no  sin  of  any  kind,  nor  even  inclination  to  sin.  He  could 
be  hungry,  as  He  was  when  He  fasted  forty  days  in  the  desert 
(Matt.  iv.  2).  He  was  thirsty,  as  He  said  on  the  cross  (John 
xix,  28).  He  could  be  wearied;  as  we  read  in  the  Holy 
Scripture  (John  iv.  6)  that  He  sat  down  by  a  well  to  rest, 
while  His  disciples  went  into  the  city  to  buy  food.  All  these 
sufferings  come  from  our  very  nature.  We  say  a  thing  comes 
from  our  very  nature  when  everybody  has  it.  Now,  every  one 
in  the  world  may  at  times  be  hungry,  thirsty,  or  tired  ;  but 
everybody  in  the  world  need  not  have  a  toothache  or  head- 
ache, because  such  things  are  not  common  to  human  nature, 
but  due  to  some  defect  in  our  body;  and  such  defects  Our 
Lord  did  not  have,  because  He  was  a  perfect  man.  There- 
fore, Our  Lord  had  a  body  like  ours,  not  as  it  usually  is 
with  defects,  but  as  it  should  be,  perfect  in  all  things  that 
belong  to  its  nature,  as  Adam's  was  before  he  sinned. 


82  On  the  Incarnation  and  Redemption. 

*  65  Q.  How  many  natures  are  there  in  Jesus  Christ  V 
A.  In  Jesus  Christ  there  are  two  natures ;  the  nature 

of  God  and  the  nature  of  man. 

He  was  perfect  God  and  perfect  man.  His  human  nature 
was  under  the  full  power  of  His  divine  nature,  and  could  not 
do  anything  contrary  to  His  divine  will.  You  cannot  under^ 
stand  how  there  can  be  two  natures  and  two  wills  in  one  per- 
son, because  it  is  another  of  the  great  mysteries;  but  you 
must  believe  it,  just  as  you  believe  there  are  three  Persons  in 
one  God,  though  you  do  not  understand  it.  Those  who  learn 
theology  and  study  a  great  deal  may  understand  it  better  than 
you,  but  never  fully.  It  will  be  enough,  therefore,  for  you  to 
remember  and  believe  that  there  are  two  natures — the  divine 
nature  and  the  human  nature — in  the  one  person  of  Our  Lord. 

*  66  Q.  Is  Jesus  Christ  more  than  one  person  ? 
A.  No,  Jesus  Christ  is  but  one  Divine  Person. 

"But  one,"  so  that  the  Second  Person  of  the  Blessed  Trin- 
ity, the  Son  of  God,  the  Messias,  Christ,  Jesus,  Our  Lord, 
Our  Saviour,  Our  Redeemer,  etc.,  are  all  names  for  the  one 
person  ;  and,  besides  these,  there  are  many  other  names  given 
to  Our  Lord  in  the  Holy.  Scripture,  both  in  the  Old  and  the 
New  Testament. 

*  67  Q.  "Was  Jesus  Christ  always  God  ? 

A.  Jesus  Christ  was  always  God,  as  He  is  the  Second 
Person  of  the  Blessed  Trinity,  equal  to  His  Father  from 
all  eternity. 

*  68  Q.  Was  Jesus  Christ  always  man? 

A.  Jesus  Christ  was  not  always  man,  but  became 
man  at  the  time  of  His  Incarnation. 

69  Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  the  Incarnation? 

A.  By  the  Incarnation  I  mean  that  the  Son  of  God 
was  made  man. 

70  Q.  How  was  the  Son  of  God  made  man? 

A.  The  Son  of  God  was  conceived  and  made  man 
by  the  power  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  in  the  womb  of  the 
Blessed  Virgin  Mary. 


On  the  Incarnation  and  Redemption.  83 

*  71  Q.  Is  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary  truly  the  Mother 
of  God  ? 

A.  The  Blessed  Virgin  Mary  is  truly  the  Mother  of 
God,  because  the  same  Divine  Person  who  is  the  Son  of 
God  is  also  the  Son  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary. 

*  72  Q.  Did  the   Son  of  God  become  man  immediately 
after  the  sin  of  our  first  parents  ? 

A.  The  Son  of  God  did  not  become  man  immediately 
after  the  sin  of  our  first  parents,  but  He  was  promised 
to  them  as  a  Redeemer. 

God  did  not  say  to  Adam  when  He  would  send  the  Re- 
deemer, and  so  the  Kedeemer  did  not  come  for  about  4000 
years  after  He  was  first  promised.  God  permitted  this  long 
time  to  elapse  in  order  that  mankind  might  feel  and  know 
liow  great  an  evil  sin  is,  and  what  misery  it  brought  upon  the 
world.  During  these  4000  years  men  were  becoming  gradu- 
ally worse.  At  one  time — about  1600  years  after  Adam's  sin 
— they  became  so  bad  that  God  destroyed  by  a  deluge,  or 
great  flood  of  water,  all  persons  and  living  things  upon  the 
eartli,  except  Noe,  his  wife,  his  three  sons  and  their  wives, 
and  the  animals  they  had  in  the  ark  with  them  (Genesis  vi.). 
Let  me  now  give  you  more  particulars  about  this  terrible  pun- 
ishment. After  God  determined  to  destroy  all  living  things 
on  account  of  the  wickedness  of  men.  He  told  Noe,  who  was 
a  good  man,  to  build  a  great  ark,  or  ship,  for  himself  and  his 
family,  and  for  some  of  all  the  living  creatures  upon  the  earth 
(Genesis  vii.).  When  the  ark  was  ready,  Noe  and  his  family 
went  into  it,  and  the  animals  that  were  to  be  saved  came  by 
God's  power,  and  two  by  two  were  taken  into  the  ark.  Be- 
sides the  two  of  each  kind  of  animals,  Noe  was  required  to 
take  with  him  five  more  of  each  kind  of  clean  animals. 
Clean  animals  were  certain  animals  which,  according  to  God's 
law,  could  be  offered  in  sacrifice  or  eaten;  they  were  such 
animals  as  the  ox,  the  sheep,  the  goat,  etc.  Therefore,  seven 
of  each  of  the  clean  animals,  and  two  of  each  of  the  other 
kinds.  Why  did  He  have  seven  clean  animals  ?  Two  were  to 
be  set  free  upon  the  dry  earth  with  the  other  animals,  and 


84  On  the  Incarnation  and  Jtiedemption, 

the  other  five  were  for  food  or  sacrifice.  Noe  spent  a  hun- 
dred years  in  making  the  ark.  At  that  time  men  lived  much 
longer  than  they  do  now.  Adam  lived  over  900  years  and 
Mathusala,  the  oldest  man,  lived  to  be  969  years  old.  There 
are  many  reasons  why  men  live  a  shorter  time  now  than  then. 
When  the  door  of  the  ark  was  closed,  God  sent  a  great  rain 
that  lasted  for  forty  days  and  forty  nights.  All  the  springs 
of  water  broke  forth,  and  all  the  rivers  and  lakes  overfiowed 
their  banks.  Men  ran  here  and  there  to  high  places,  while 
the  water  rose  higher  and  higher  till  it  covered  the  tops  of  the 
mountains,  and  all  not  in  the  ark  were  drowned.  The  big 
ark  fioated  about  for  about  a  year;  for  although  it  stopped 
raining  after  forty  days,  just  think  of  the  quantity  of  water 
that  must  have  fallen!  Think  of  the  rain  that  would  fall 
during  the  whole  of  Lent  from  Ash  Wednesday  to  Easter 
Sunday — forty  days.  It  took  a  long  time,  therefore,  for  the 
waters  to  go  down  and  finally  disappear.  When  the  waters 
began  to  go  down,  Noe,  wishing  to  know  if  any  land  was  as 
yet  above  the  water,  opened  the  little  window,  and  sent  out  a 
raven  or  crow  over  the  waters.  The  raven  did  not  come  back, 
because  it  is  a  bird  that  eats  fiesh,  and  it  found  plenty  of 
dead  bodies  to  feed  upon.  Then  Noe  sent  out  a  dove,  and 
the  dove  came  back  with  the  bough  of  an  olive  tree  in  its 
mouth.  From  this  Noe  knew  that  the  earth  was  becoming 
dry  again.  After  some  days,  the  ark  rested  on  the  top  of  a 
mountain  named  Ararat.  When  all  the  waters  had  dried  up, 
Noe  and  his  family  and  all  the  animals  passed  out  of  the  ark. 
He  offered  a  sacrifice  of  thanksgiving,  and  he  and  his  family 
settled  once  more  upon  the  earth.  For  a  while,  the  descend- 
ants of  Noe  were  good,  but  when  they  became  numerous 
they  soon  forgot  the  deluge  and  its  punishments,  and  became 
very  wicked.  Many  forgot  the  true  God  altogether,  and 
began  to  worship  the  sun,  moon,  and  stars.  Some  worshipped 
animals,  and  others  idols  of  wood  or  stone.  They  offered  up 
human  victims  and  committed  all  kinds  of  sins  most  displeas- 
ing to  God.  Many  were  in  slavery  ;  masters  were  cruel  ;  and 
things  were  becoming  daily  worse,  till  just  before  the  coming 
of  Our  Lord  the  worltl  woe  ill  a  terrible  condition  of  misery 


On  the  Tncamation  and  Hedemption.  yd 

and  sin.  The  law-makers  tried  to  remedy  these  evils  by  their 
laws,  and  the  teachers  and  professors  by  their  teaching;  but 
all  was  of  no  avail.     God  Himself  must  save  the  world. 

God  gave  many  promises  of  the  Eedeemer.  The  first  one 
was  given  in  the  garden  to  our  first  parents.  God  said 
(Genesis  iii.  15)  to  the  serpent:  I  will  put  enmities,  that  is 
hatred,  between  thee  and  the  woman;  that  is,  between  the 
devil  and  the  Blessed  Virgin — whom  the  holy  writers  call  the 
second  Eve;  because  as  the  first  Eve  caused  our  fall,  the  sec- 
ond Eve  helped  us  to  rise  again.  I  will  put  also  a  great  hatred 
between  the  devil  and  your  Redeemer.  The  next  promise  of 
the  Redeemer  was  made  to  Abraham  (Genesis  xv).  Another 
was  made  to  Isaac,  and  another  to  Jacob;  and  later  these 
promises  were  frequently  renewed  through  the  prophets;  so 
that  during  the  four  thousand  years  God  encouraged  the  good 
people,  by  promising  from  time  to  time  the  Redeemer. 

Some  of  the  prophets  foretold  to  what  family  He  would 
belong,  and  when  He  would  be  born,  and  when  and  what  He 
would  suffer,  and  how  He  would  die.  They  also  foretold 
signs  or  things  that  would  come  to  pass  just  before  the  advent 
or  coming  of  the  Messias  (Genesis  xlix.  10);  so  that  when  the 
people  saw  these  things  coming  to  pass,  they  could  know  that 
the  time  of  the  Messias  was  at  hand.  Thus  when  Our  Lord 
came  the  whole  world  was  waiting  and  looking  for  the 
promised  Redeemer,  because  the  signs  foretold  had  appeared 
or  were  taking  place.  But  the  majority  did  not  recognize 
Our  Lord  when  He  came,  on  account  of  the  quiet,  humble, 
and  poor  way  in  which  He  came.  They  were  expecting  to 
see  the  Redeemer  come  as  a  great  and  powerful  king,  with 
mighty  armies  conquering  the  world;  and  in  this  they  were 
mistaken.  If  they  had  studied  the  Holy  Scriptures  they 
would  have  learned  how  He  was  to  come — poor  and  humble. 

*  73  Q.  How  could  they  be  saved  who  lived  before  the 
Son  of  God  became  man  ? 

A.  They  who  lived  before  the  Son  of  God  became 
m^n  could  be  saved  by  believing  in  the  Redeemer  to 
c-.ac,  und  bv  keemng  the  cominaudments. 


86  On  the  Incarnation  and  Redemption^ 

We  have  seen  that  God  promised  the  Redeemer  during 
four  thousand  years.  Now,  those  who  believed  these  promises 
and  kept  all  God's  commandments,  and  observed  all  His  laws 
as  they  knew  them,  could  be  saved.  They  could  not,  it  is 
true,  enter  into  heaven  after  their  death,  but  they  could  wait 
in  Limbo  without  suffering  till  Our  Lord  opened  heaven  for 
them.  They  were  saved  only  through  the  merits  of  Our 
Lord.  And  how  could  this  be  when  Our  Lord  was  not  yet 
born  ?  Do  you  know  what  a  promissory  note  is?  It  is  this. 
When  a  man  is  not  able  to  pay  his  debts  just  now  but  will  be 
able  afterwards,  he  gives  those  to  whom  he  owes  the  money  a 
promissory  note,  that  is,  a  written  promise  that  he  will  pay  at 
a  certain  time.  Now,  those  who  died  before  Our  Lord  was 
born  had  the  Holy  Scriptures  promising  that  Christ  would 
pay  for  them  and  for  their  sins  when  He  would  come.  So 
God  saved  them  on  account  of  this  promise  and  kept  them 
free  from  suffering  till  Our  Lord  came,  li  any  died  when 
they  were  little  infants,  their  parents  answered  for  them  as 
godfathers  and  godmothers  do  now  for  infants  at  baptism. 

74  Q.  On  what  day  was  the  Son  of  God  conceived  and 
made  man  ? 

A.  The  Son  of  God  was  conceived  and  made  man  on 
Annunciation  day— the  day  on  w^hich  the  Angel  Ga- 
briel announced  to  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary  that  she 
was  to  be  the  Mother  of  God. 

"  Annunciation  day  "  is  the  25th  of  March.  You  can  easily 
remember  that  feast.  Everybody  knows  that  St.  Patrick's 
day  is  on  the  17th  of  March,  and  therefore  eight  days  after  it 
comes  Annunciation  day.  There  is  another  feast  coming  in 
between  them,  the  feast  of  St.  Joseph,  on  the  19th  of  March. 
Therefore  it  is  easy  to  remember  these  three  feasts  coming  all 
in  March  and  almost  together.  Annunciation  is  the  name 
given  to  that  day  after  the  angel  came,  but  it  was  not  called 
so  before.  Annunciation  means  to  tell  or  make  known,  and 
this  is  the  day  the  angel  made  known  to  the  Blesefed  Virgin 
that  she  was  selected  for  the  high  office  of  Mother  of  God. 
The  Blessed  Virgin  was  expecting  the  Messias,  and  was 
probably  praying  for  His  sneedy  jyrival,  as  were  the  rest  cf  her 


On  the  Incarnation  and  Redemption.  87 

people,  when  suddenly  the  angel  came  and  said:  Hail,  full  of 
grace.     (See  Hail  Mary  Expl.) 

75  Q.  On  '^.That  day  was  Christ  born? 
A.  Christ  was  born  on  Christmas  day  in  a  stable  at 
Bethlehem,  nearly  ninete'^n  hundred  years  ago. 

"  Christmas  day  "  is  the  25th  of  December,  one  week  be- 
fore the  New  Year.  It  is  called  Christmas  day  since  the 
time  Our  Lord  was  born,  nearly  nineteen  hundred  years  ago. 
"In,  a  stable  at  Bethlehem."  The  story  of  Our  Lord's  birth  is 
in  every  way  a  very  sad  one.  The  Blessed  Virgin  and  St. 
Joseph  lived  in  Palestine — called  also  the  Holy  Land  since 
Our  Lord  lived  there.  Palestine  was  the  country  where  God's 
people,  the  Jews,  lived,  and  at  the  time  we  are  speaking  of  it 
was  under  the  power  of  the  Roman  Emperor,  who  had  his 
soldiers  and  governor  there.  He  wished  to  find  out  how  many 
people  were  there,  and  so  he  ordered  a  census  or  count  of  the 
people  to  be  made  (Luke  ii.).  We  take  the  census  very  differ- 
ently now  from  what  they  did  then.  We  in  the  United  States, 
by  order  of  the  government,  send  men  around  from  house 
to  house  to  write  down  the  names;  but  in  Palestine,  when 
they  wanted  the  number  of  the  people,  every  one,  no  matter 
where  he  lived,  had  to  go  to  the  city  or  town  where  his  fore- 
fathers had  lived  and  there  register  his  name  with  all  the 
others  who  belonged  to  the  same  tribe  or  family.  Now,  the 
forefathers  of  St.  Joseph  and  the  Blessed  Virgin  belonged  to 
tlie  little  town  of  Bethlehem  (Luke  ii.) ;  so  they  had  to  leave 
Nazareth  where  they  were  then  living  and  go  to  Bethlehem. 
This  Avas  shortly  before  Christmas.  When  they  got  to  Beth- 
lehem, they  found  the  place  crowded  with  people  who  also 
came  to  enrol  their  names.  They  went  to  the  inn  or  hotel  to 
seek  for  lodging  for  the  night.  The  hotels  there  were  not  like 
ours.  They  were  simply  large  buildings  with  small  rooms 
and  no  furniture;  they  were  called  caravansaries.  A  man 
was  in  charge  of  the  building,  and  by  paying  him  something 
persons  were  allowed  the  use  of  a  room.  No  food  was  sold 
there,  so  travellers  had  to  do  their  cooking  at  home  and  bring 
whatever  they  needed  with  them*'  When  the  Blessed  Virgin 


88  On  the  Incarnation  and  /Redemption. 

and  Si/.  Joseph  went  to  the  inn  tiuy  found  :ill  tlie  roo mis  occu- 
pied. ■  Then  they  went  up  and  down  the  streets  looking  for 
some  liouse  where  tliey  might  stay.  Nobody  would  take  them, 
in,  because  St.  Joseph  was  old  aud  poor  and  liad  no  money,  or 
little,  to  give.  They  were  refused  at  every  door,  a  very  sivd 
thing  indeed.  What  were  they  to  do  ?  It  was  growing  dark, 
a,nd  the  lights  most  likely  were  being  lighted  here  and  there 
in  the  houses.  The  old  towns  were  not  built  as  ours  are,  with 
houses  on  the  outskirts  growing  fewer  as  we  advance  into  the 
country.  They  were  surrounded  by  great  walls  to  keep  out 
their  enemies.  There  were  sevej-al  large  gates  in  these  walls, 
through  which  the  people  entered  or  left  the  city..  At  night 
these  gates  were  closed  and  guarded.  Nearly  all  the  people 
lived  within  the  walls  and  the  country  was  lonely  and  almost 
deserted.  Only  shepherds  were  to  be  found  in  the  country, 
and  they  lived  in  tents,  which  they  carried  about  from  place 
to  place,  as  soldiers  do  in  time  of  war.  Such  was  the  country 
about  Bethlehem.  As  St.  Joseph  and  the  Blessed  Virgin 
could  not  find  any  place  to  stay  in  the  town  they  were  forced 
to  go  into  the  country.  They  must  have  suffered  also  from 
fear  because  the  country  was  infested  with  wolves  and  wild 
dogs,  so  fierce  that  they  sometimes  came  into  the  towns  and 
attacked  the  people  in  the  streets.  Besides,  many  robbers 
were  wandering  about  waiting  for  victims.  Palestine  is  a  hilly 
country  and  there  were  on  the  sides  of  some  of  the  hills  large 
caves  in  which  these  robbers  frequently  took  refuge  or  di- 
vided their  spoils.  Because  the  shepherds  at  times,  especially 
in  bad  weather,  brought  their  animals  into  these  caves,  they 
are  often  called  stables.  The  Blessed  Virgin  and  St.  Joseph 
found,  we  are  told,  one  of  these  cold,  dark  places,  went  into 
it  for  the  night,  and  there  Our  Lord  was  born. 

It  was  the  month  of  December  and  must  have  been  quite 
cold,  so  the  little  Infant  Jesus  must  have  suffered  greatly  from 
the  cold.  If  it  had  been  a  stable  such  as  we  see  in  our  da3's 
it  would  have  been  bad  enough ;  but  think  of  this  cold,  dark, 
miserable  cave,  and  yet  it  was  Our  Lord,  the  King  of  heaven 
and  earth,  who  was  born  there.  There  are  few  people  so 
poor  that  they  have,  to  live  in  a  cave.     What  wonrlArf"! 


"*  On  the  Incarnation  and  Uedemption.  bJ 

nnmility,  then,  on  the  part  of  Our  Lord.  He  could  have  been 
born,  if  He  wished,  in  the  grandest  palace  man  could  con- 
struct and  have  had  thousands  of  angels  to  bring  Him  what- 
ever He  needed,  for  they  are  His  servants  in  heaven.  But  Our 
Lord  became  so  humble  to  teach  us.  AVhat  impression  should 
this  make  on  those  who  are  too  fond  of  dress  and  too  vain 
about  their  homes. 

It  was  foretold  by  the  prophets  that  Our  Lord  would  be 
born  in  Betlilehem,  and  when  the  time  was  near  at  hand  His 
parents  were  living  in  Nazareth;  then  the  Eoman  Emperor 
gave  the  decree  that  the  census  be  taken,  which  obliged  Our 
Lord's  parents  to  go  to  Betlilehem,  and  thus  Our  Lord  was 
born  there,  and  the  words  of  the  prophets  fulfilled.  See 
how  God  moves  the  whole  world,  if  necessary,  to  accomplish 
what  He  desires.  But  how  naturally  He  does  everything. 
Nobody  knew — not  even  the  Eoman  Emperor  himself — that 
he  was  giving  an  edict  to  fulfil  the  prophecies  and  the  prom- 
ises of  God.  So,  at  times,  people  do  many  things  to  carry  out 
the  designs  of  God.  though  they  know  it  not.  We  should 
never  complain  therefore  or  do  unwillingly  whatever  work  we 
have  to  perform,  because  it  may  be  something  that  God  wishes 
us  to  do  for  some  very  special  end.  If  ycu  look  back  upon 
your  lives,  you  can  see  that  God  guided  and  directed  you 
upon  many  occasions. 

*  76  Q.  How  long  did  Christ  live  on  earth? 
A.  Christ   lived   on    earth   about   thirty-three  years, 
and  led  a  most  holy  life  in  poverty  and  suffering. 

The  life  of  Our  Lord  was  spent  in  the  following  manner. 
At  the  time  Our  Lord  was  born  in  Bethlehem  wise  men  or 
kings,  called  Maji,  came  from  the  East — perhaps  from  Persia 
or  Arabia — to  adore  Him.  They  saw  a  strange  star,  and  leav- 
ing their  own  country  came  to  Palestine.  When  they  came 
as  far  as  Jerusalem,  they  went  to  King  Herod  and  asked  him 
where  the  young  King  was  born.  Herod  was  troubled,  for  he 
was  afraid  the  new  King  would  deprive  him  of  his  throne, 
lie  called  together  all  the  piicsts  and  a^ked  them  about  this 
xoY'd]  child.     They  told  him.  and  the  Mali  that,  according  to 


90  On  the  Incarnation  and  Redemption. 

the  prophecies,  the  Saviour  should  be  born  in  Bethlehem. 
The  Wise  Men  saw  the  star  once  more,  and  followed  it  to 
Bethlehem,  where  it  stood  over  the  stable  in  which  Our  Lord 
lay.  They  entered,  and  adored  the  Infant  Jesus,  and  offered 
Him  presents.  Now,  Herod  told  them  to  come  back  after 
they  had  found  the  new-born  King,  and  tell  him  where  He 
was,  that  he  too  might  go  and  adore  Him.  But  such  was  not 
Herod's  real  intention.  He  wished  not  to  adore  but  to  kill 
Him.  See,  then,  how  the  wicked  pretend  at  times  to  do  good, 
that  they  may  deceive  us  and  lead  us  astray.  Be  always  on 
your  guard  against  a  person  if  you  suspect  his  goodness.  But 
Herod  could  not  deceive  God,  Who,  knowing  his  heart,  warned 
khe  Wise  Men  not  to  return  to  Herod,  but  to  go  back  to  their 
own  country  by  another  way,  which  they  did.  We  celebrate 
the  day  on  which  the  Wise  Men  adored  the  Infant  Jesus  on 
khe  feast  of  the  Epiphany  (six  days  after  New  Year's  day). 
When  the  Maji  did  not  return,  Herod  knew  that  they  had 
avoided  him.  He  was  very  angry  indeed,  and  in  order  to  be 
sure  of  killing  the  poor  little  infant  Jesus,  he  had  all  the  in- 
fants or  children  in  or  near  Bethlehem  who  were  not  over  two 
years  old  put  to  death.  We  honor  these  first  little  martyrs 
who  suffered  for  Christ  on  the  feast  of  Holy  Innocents — three 
days  after  Christmas. 

After  the  departure  of  the  Wise  Men,  God  sent  an  angel  to 
St.  Joseph  warning  him  of  Herod's  evil  designs,  and  telling 
him  to  fly  with  Jesus  and  Mary  into  Egypt.  Then  St.  Joseph, 
with  the  Blessed  Virgin  and  the  Infant,  set  out  for  Egypt. 
St.  Joseph  did  not  ask  the  angel  how  long  he  would  have  to 
stay  there  ;  nor  did  he  ask  to  be  allowed  to  wait  till  morning. 
He  obeyed  promptly  ;  he  arose  in  the  night,  and  started  at 
once.  What  an  example  of  obedience  for  us!  They  must 
have  had  many  hardships  on  the  way.  They  must  have  suf- 
fered much  from  hunger,  cold,  and  fear.  They  dare  not  go  on 
the  best  roads,  for  we  may  well  suppose  that  Herod  had  his 
spies  out  watching  for  any  that  might  escape.  So  they  went 
by  the  roughest  roads  and  longest  way.  In  Egypt  they  were 
among  strangers,  and  how  could  a  poor  old  carpenter  like  St. 
Joseph  find  enough  work  there  1     The  Holy  Family  must  at 


On  the  Incarnation  and  Rederaption.  91 

times  have  suffered  greatly  from  want.  Tliey  remained  in 
Egypt  for  some  time.  Afterwards,  when  Hej-od  died,  they 
returned  to  Nazareth  (Matt.  ii.). 

At  twelve  years  of  age  Our  Lord  went  to  the  Temple  of 
Jerusalem  to  offer  sacrifice  with  His  parents  (Luke  ii.  42). 
He  afterwards  returned  to  Nazareth,  and  then  for  eighteen 
years — called  His  hidden  life — we  do  not  hear  anything  of 
H:m.  Most  likely  He  worked  in  the  carpenter  shop  with  His 
foster-father,  St.  Joseph. 

At  the  age  of  thirty  (Luke  iii.  23),  Our  Lord  began  His 
public  life  ;  that  is.  His  preaching,  miracles,  etc.  His  public 
life  lasted  a  little  over  three  years,  and  then  He  was  put  to 
death  on  the  cross. 

*  77  Q.  Why  did  Christ  live  so  long  on  earth  ? 
A.  Christ  lived  so  long  on  earth  to  show  us  the  way 
to  heaven  by  His  teaching  and  example. 

Christ  went  through  all  the  stages  of  life  that  each  might 
have  an  example.  He  was  an  infant;  then  a  child;  then  a 
young  man,  and  finally  a  man.  He  did  not  become  an  old 
man  to  set  an  example  to  the  old,  because  if  men  follow  His 
example  in  their  youth  and  manhood  they  will  be  good  in  old 
age.  Youth  is  the  all-important  time  to  learn.  If  you  want 
a  tree  to  grow  straight,  you  must  keep  it  straight  while  it  is 
only  a  little  twig.  You  cannot  straighten  an  old  oak-tree 
that  has  grown  up  crooked.  So  you  must  be  taught  to  do 
right  in  your  youth,  that  you  may  do  the  same  when  old.  Of 
the  hidden  or  private  life  of  Our  Lord  we,  as  I  have  said, 
know  nothing,  except  that  He  was  obedient  to  His  parents; 
for  He  wished  to  give  an  example  also  to  those  holy  persons 
who  lead  a  life  hidden  from  the  world.  Some  books  have 
given  stories  about  what  Our  Lord  did  in  school,  etc.,  but 
these  stories  are  not  true.  The  only  true  things  we  know  of 
Our  Lord  are  those  told  in  the  Holy  Scripture,  or  handed 
flown  to  us  by  the  Church  in  her  teachings,  or  those  certainly 
revealed  to  God^s  saints.  Eemember,  then,  that  others  are 
taught  best  by  example,  and  be  careful  of  the  example  you 
give. 


92      On  Our  Lord's  Fassion,  Death.  Resurrection^  etc 


LESSON  EIGHTH. 

ON  OUR   LORD'S   PASSION,   DEATH,   RESURRECTION,   ANB 
ASCENSION. 

The  Passion,  that  is,  the  terrible  sufferings  of  Oar  Lord, 
began  after  the  Last  Supper,  and  ended  at  His  death.  On 
Thursday  evening  Our  Lord  sat  down  for  the  last  time  with 
His  dear  Apostles.  He  had  been  talking,  eating,  and  living 
with  them  for  over  three  years;  and  now  He  is  going  to  take 
His  last  meal  with  them  before  His  death.  He  told  them 
then  how  He  was  to  suffer,  and  that  one  of  them  was  going 
to  betray  Him.  They  were  very  much  troubled,  for  only 
Judas  himself  knew  what  he  was  about  to  do. 

78  Q.  What  did  Jesus  Christ  suffer? 
A.  Jesus  Christ  suffered  a  bloody  sweat,  a  cruel  scourg- 
ing, was  crowned  with  thorns,  and  was  crucified. 

After  the  Supper,  Our  Lord  went  with  His  apostles  to  a 
little  country  place  just  outside  Jerusalem,  and  separated 
from  it  by  a  small  stream.  He  told  the  three  Apostles,  Peter, 
James,  and  John,  to  stay  near  the  entrance,  and  to  watch  and 
pray,  while  Ho  Himself  went  further  into  the  Garden  of 
Olives,  or  Gethsemani,  as  this  place  was  called,  and  throwing 
Himself  upon  His  face,  prayed  long  and  earnestly,  but  the 
Apostles  fell  asleep. 

We  often  find  persons  who  are  in  great  anguish  or  dread 
covered  with  a  cold  perspiration.  Now,  Our  Lord's  agony  in 
the  garden  was  so  intense  that  great  drops,  not  of  sweat,  but 
of  blood,  oozed  from  every  pore,  and  trickled  to  the  ground. 
There  are  three  reasons  given  for  this  dreadful  agony. 

(1)  The  clear,  certain  knowledge  of  the  sufferings  so  soon 
to  be  endured.  If  we  were  to  be  put  to  death  to-morrow  and 
knew  exactly  the  manner  of  our  death  and  the  pain  it  would 


On  Our  Lord's  Passion,  Death,  Resurrection,  etc,     93 

inflict,  how  great  would  be  our  fear!  Our  Lord,  knowing  all 
things,  knew  in  every  particular  what  He  would  have  to  un- 
dergo. Moi-eover,  His  sufferings  were  greater  than  ours  could 
be,  even  if  we  suffered  the  same  kind  of  death  ;  because  His 
body  was  most  perfect,  and  therefore  more  susceptible  of  pain 
than  ours.  A  wound  in  the  eye,  because  the  most  sensitive 
and  delicate  part  of  the  body,  would  cause  us  greater  pain 
than  a  wound  on  the  foot  or  hand.  Tiius,  all  the  parts  of 
Our  Lord's  body  being  so  perfect  and  sensitive,  we  can 
scarcely  imagine  His  dreadful  torments,  the  very  thought  of 
which  caused  Him  such  agony. 

(S)  The  sins,  past,  present,  and  future  of  all  men.  He 
knew  all  things,  as  we  have  said,  and  looking  back  upon  the 
world  He  saw  all  the  sins  committed,  of  thought,  word,  and 
deed,  from  the  time  of  Adam  down  to  His  own;  and  seeing 
all  these  offences  against  His  Father,  He  was  very  much 
grieved. 

(3)  The  third  reason  why  He  grieved.  He  looked  forward 
and  saw  how  little  many  persons  would  profit  by  all  the  suffer- 
ings He  was  about  to  endure.  He  saw  all  the  sins  that  would 
be  committed  from  the  time  of  His  death  down  to  the  end  of 
the  world.  He  saw  us  also  sinning  with  the  rest.  No  wonder 
then  that  He  suffered  so  much  in  the  garden.  This  suffering 
on  that  night  is  called  "Our  Lord's  agony  in  the  garden." 
That  night  Judas,  who  had  betrayed  Him  to  His  enemies, 
came  with  a  great  band  of  soldiers  and  people,  with  swords 
Und  clubs,  to  make  Our  Lord  a  prisoner.  He  did  not  try  to 
iscape,  but  stood  waiting  for  them,  though  ah  His  apostles, 
ivho  had  promised  to  stay  with  Him,  ran  away.  Then  the 
soldiers  led  Our  Lord  to  the  house  of  the  Chief  Priest.  Then 
they  gathered  the  priests,  and  gave  Him  a  kind  of  trial,  and 
said  He  was  guilty  of  death.  But  at  that  time  the  Jews  had 
no  power  to  put  persons  to  death  according  to  the  law;  so 
they  had  to  send  Our  Lord  to  Pontius  Pilate,  the  Roman 
Governor,  to  be  condemned,  because  they  were  under  the 
power  of  the  Romans.  The  J""'s  acted  against  their  laws  in 
the  trial  «f  Our  T^ord, 


9J:      On  Our  Lord's  Passion,  Death,  Resurrection,  etc. 

(1)  They  tried  Him  at  night ;  uud  (2)  thi-y  allowed  Him  nc 
witnesses  in  His  defence,  but  even  employed  false  witnesses 
to  testify  against  Him,  and  thus  acted  against  all  law  and 
justice.  Early  in  the  morning  they  led  Him  to  Pilate,  who 
commanded  that  He  should  be  scourged.  Then  they  stripped 
Our  Lord  of  His  garments,  fastened  His  hands  to  a  low  stone 
pdlar,  and  there  He  was  "  scourged  "  by  the  Roman  soldiers. 
The  lashes  used  by  the  Romans  were  made  of  leather,  with 
pieces  of  bone,  iron,  or  steel  fastened  into  it.  so  that  every 
stroke  would  lay  open  the  flesh.  It  is  mcst  likely  these  were 
the  lashes  used  upon  Our  Lord  till  every  portion  of  His  body 
was  bruised  and  bleeding,  and  they  replaced  His  garments 
upon  Him.  Now,  you  know  if  you  put  a  cloth  upon  a  fresh 
wound  the  blood  will  soak  into  it  and  cause  it  to  adhere  to  the 
mangleil  flesh.  Our  Blessed  Lord's  garment,  thus  saturated 
with  His  blood,  adhered  to  His  wounded  body,  and  when 
again  removed  caused  Him  unspeakable  pain.  Next,  the  sol- 
diers, because  Our  Lord  had  said  He  was  a  king — meaning  a 
spiritual  king — led  Him  into  a  large  hall  and  mocked  Him. 
They  made  a  crown  of  long,  sharp  thorns,  and  forced  it  down 
upon  His  brow  with  a  heavy  rod  or  reed ;  every  stroke  driving 
the  thorns  into  His  head,  and  causing  the  blood,  to  roll  down 
His  sacred  face.  They  again  took  off  His  garments,  ai-d 
opened  anew  the  painful  wounds.  Because  kings  wore  pur- 
ple, they  put  an  old  purple  garment  upon  Him,  and  made 
Him  a  mock  king,  genuflecting  in  ridicule  as  they  passed  be- 
fore Him.  They  struck  Him  in  the  face  and  spat  upon 
Him;  and  yet  it  seems  our  patient  Lord  said  not  a  word  in 
complaint.  Then  they  put  His  garments  upon  Him,  and 
Pilate  asked  the  people  what  he  should  do  with  Him,  and 
they  cried,  *'  Crucify  Him."  It  was  then  Friday  morning, 
and  probably  about  ten  or  eleven  o'clock.  They  made  a  cross 
of  heavy  beams,  and  laying  it  upon  His  shoulders,  forced  Him 
to  carry  it  to  Calvary — the  place  of  execution,  just  outside  the 
city;  for  it  was  not  allowed  to  execute  any  one  in  the  city. 
Our  Lord  had  not  eaten  anything  from  Tliursday  evening, 
and  then  with  all  He  suffered  and  the  loss  of  blood,  He  must 


On  Our  Lord's  Passion,  Death,  Resurrection,  etc.     95 

have  been  very  weak  at  eleven  o'clock  on  Friday  morning. 
He  was  weak,  and  fell  many  times  under  the  cross.  His  suf- 
fering was  increased  by  seeing  His  Blessed  Mother  looking  at 
Him.  AYhen  He  arriveu  i»t  Calvary  they  tore  off  His  gar- 
ments and  nailed  Him  to  the  cross,  driving  the  rough  nails 
through  His  hands  and  feet.  It  was  then  about  twelve  o'clock. 
From  twelve  to  three  in  the  afternoon  Our  Blessed  Saviour 
was  hanging  on  the  cross,  with  a  great  multitude  of  His  en;-- 
mies  about  Him  mocking  Him  and  saying  cruet  things.  Ev;':i 
the  two  thieves  that  were  crucified  with  Him  reviled  Him, 
though  one  of  them  repented  and  was  pardoned  before  death. 
Our  Lord's  poor  Mother  and  His  few  friends  stood  at  a  little 
distance  witnessing  all  that  was  going  on.  When  Our  Lord 
was  thirsty  His  executioners  gave  Him  gall  to  drink.  At 
three  o'clock  He  died,  and  there  was  an  earthquake  and  dark- 
ness, and  the  people  were  sorely  afraid. 

But  you  will  ask,  how  could  these  soldiers  be  so  cruel  ? 
They  were  Romans;  and  in  those  days  men  called  gladiators 
used  to  fight  with  swords  before  the  Ronum  Emperor  and  all 
the  people — just  as  actors  play  now  for  the  amusement  of 
their  audience.  People  who  could  enjoy  such  scenes  as  men 
slaying  one  another  iii  deadly  conflict  would  scarcely  be 
moved  to  pity  by  seeing  a  man  scourged.  Again,  in  the  eiirly 
ages  of  the  Church,  during  the  persecutions,  the  Emperors 
used  to  order  the  Christians  to  be  thrown  to  wild  beasts  to  be 
torn  to  pieces  in  the  presence  of  the  people — who  applauded 
these  horrible  sights.  They  who  could  see  so  many  put  to 
death  would  not  mind  putting  one i;(j  death,  even  in  the  most 
terrible  manner. 

79  Q.  On  what  day  did  Christ  die  ? 
A.  Christ  died  on  Good  Friday. 

"  Good  Friday,"  so  called  since  that  time. 

*  80  Q.  "Why  do  you  call  that  day  "  good  "  on  which 
Christ  suffered  so  sorrowful  a  death  ? 

A.  "We  call  that  day  good  on  which  Christ  died,  be- 
cause by  His  death  He  showed  His  great  love  for  man, 
and  purchased  for  him  every  blessing. 


96      On  Our  Lord's  Passion,  Death,  Resurrection,  etc, 

"SI  Q.  Where  did  Christ  die ? 
A.  Christ  died  on  Mount  Calvary. 

"Mount  Calvary,"  a  little  hill  just  outside  the  city  of 
Jerusalem.  For  every  city  they  have  a  special  prison  or  place 
where  all  their  criminals  are  executed.  Now,  as  the  great 
Temple  of  God  was  in  Jerusalem,  the  city  itself  was  called  the 
City  of  God,  because  in  the  Temple  God  spoke  to  the  priests 
in  the  Holy  of  Holies.  The  Temple  was  divided  into  two 
parts  :  one  part,  something  like  the  body  of  our  churches, 
called  the  Holy,  and  the  other  part,  where  the  Ark  of  the 
Covenant  was  kept,  called  the  Holy  of  Holies.  It  had  about 
the  same  relation  to  the  Temple  as  our  altar  and  sanctuary 
have  to  our  churches.  The  Ark  of  the  Covenant  was  a  box 
about  four  feet  long,  two  and  a  half  feet  high,  and  two  and  a 
half  feet  wide,  made  of  the  finest  wood,  and  ornamented  with 
gold  in  the  most  beautiful  manner.  In  it  were  the  tables  ot 
stone,  on  which  were  written  the  Commandments  of  God; 
also  the  rod  that  Aaron — Moses'  brother — changed  into  a  ser- 
pent before  King  Pharao ;  also  some  of  the  manna  with 
which  the  people  were  miraculously  fed  during  their  forty 
years'  journey  in  "the  desert  when  they  fled  out  of  Egypt.  All 
these  things  were  figures  of  the  true  religion.  The  Ark  itself 
was  a  figure  of  the  tabernacle,  and  the  manna  of  the  Holy 
Eucharist.  The  Holy  of  Holies  was  hidden  from  the  people 
by  a  veil.  Only  the  Chief  Priest  was  allowed  into  that  sacred 
place,  and  but  once  a  year.  The  veil — called  the  veil  of 
the  Temple — hiding  that  Holy  of  Holies,  though  the  things 
mentioned  above  were  no  longer  in  it,  was  torn  asunder  when 
Our  Lord  died  on  the  cross  (Matt,  xxvii.  51);  because  after 
His  death  there  was  no  need  any  longer  of  figures;  for  after 
His  death  we  have  the  tabernacle  itself  and  the  real  manna, 
the  real  bread  from  heaven,  viz.,  the  body  of  Our  Lord. 
The  veil  was  rent  to  show  also  that  God  would  not  remain  any 
longer  in  the  Temple,  but  would  be  for  the  future  only  in  the 
Christian  Church.  On  account  of  all  these  things,  therefore, 
Jerusalem  was  called  the  Holy  City,  and  no  criminals  were 
put  to  death  in  It,  but  were  conducted  to  Calvary — which 


On  Our  Lord's  Passion,  Death,  Resurrection,  etc.     97 

ipeans  the  place  of  skulls — and  were  there  put  to  death.  1 
now  call  your  attention  to  one  thing.  If  the  Jews  showed 
such  great  respect  and  reverence  for  the  Ark  containing  only 
figures  of  the  Blessed  Sacrament,  how  should  we  behave  in 
the  presence  of  the  tabernacle  on  the  altar  containing  the 
Blessed  Sacrament  itself  ! 

*  82  Q.  How  did  Christ  die  ? 
A.  Christ  was  nailed  to  a  cross  and  died  on  it,  be- 
tween two  thieves. 

"  Two  thieves,"  because  they  thought  this  would  make  His 
death  more  disgraceful — making  Him  equal  to  common  crim- 
inals. One  of  these  thieves,  called  the  penitent  thief,  re- 
pented of  his  sins  and  received  Our  Lord's  pardon  before  his 
death.  The  other  thief  died  in  his  sins.  Holy  writers  tell  us 
that  one  of  these  thieves  was  saved  to  give  poor  sinners  hope, 
and  to  teach  them  that  they  may  save  their  souls  at  the  verj 
last  moment  of  their  lives  if  only  they  are  heartily  sorry  foi 
their  sins  and  implore  God's  pardon  for  them.  The  other 
thief  remained  and  died  impenitent,  that  sinners  may  fear  tc 
put  off  their  conversion  to  the  hour  of  death,  thus  rashly 
presuming  on  God's  mercy.  Persons  who  wilfully  delay  their 
conversion  and  put  off  their  repentance  to  the  last  moment, 
living  bad  lives  with  the  hope  of  dying  well,  may  not  accept 
the  grace  to  repent  at  the  last  moment,  but  may,  like  the 
unfortunate,  impenitent  thief,  die  as  they  lived,  in  a  state  of 
sin. 

83  Q.  Why  did  Christ  suffer  and  die? 
A.  Christ  suffered  and  died  for  our  sins. 

It  was  not  necessary  for  Our  Lord  to  suffer  so  much,  but 
He  did  it  to  show  how  much  He  loved  us  and  valued  our 
souls,  and  how  much  He  was  willing  to  give  for  them.  We, 
alas  !  do  not  value  our  souls  as  Christ  did;  we  sometimes  sell 
them  for  the  merest  trifle — a  moment's  gratification.  How 
sinful  ! 


98      On  Our  Lord's  Passion,  Death,  Resurrection,  etc. 

*  84  Q.  What  lessons  do  we  learn  from  the  sufferings 
and  death  of  Christ  ? 

A.  From  the  sufferings  and  death  of  Christ  we  learn 
the  great  evil  of  sin,  the  hatred  God  bears  to  it,  and  the 
necessity  of  satisfying  for  it. 


We  learn  "  the  great  evil  of  sin "  also  from  the  misery  it 
brought  into  the  world  ;  the  "hatred  God  bears  to  it,"  from 
the  punishment  He  inflicted  on  the  wicked  angels  and  on  our 
first  parents  for  it ;  and  lastly,  the  "  necessity  of  satisfying  for 
it/'  from  the  fact  that  God  allowed  His  dear  and  only  Son  to 
suffer  death  itself  for  the  sins  even  of  otliers. 


*  85  Q.  Whither  did  Christ's  soul  go  after  His  death? 
A.  After  Christ's  death  His  soul  descended  into  hell. 

*  86  Q.  Did  Christ's  soul  descend  into  the  hell  of  the 
damned  ? 

A.  The  hell  into  which  Christ's  soul  descended  was 
not  the  hell  of  the  damned,  but  a  place  or  state  of  rest 
called  Limbo,  where  the  souls  of  the  just  were  waiting 
for  Him. 


Hell  had  many  meanings  in  olden  times.  The  grave  was 
sometimes  called  hell.  Jacob,  when  he  heard  that  wild  beasts 
had  devoured  his  son  Joseph,  said:  "I  will  go  down  with 
sorrow  into  hell."  He  meant  the  grave.  Limbo  is  not  the 
same  as  Purgatory.  It  does  not  exist  now,  or,  if  it  does,  is 
only  for  little  children  who  have  never  committed  actual  sin 
and  who  have  died  without  baptism.  They  will  never  get 
into  heaven  or  see  God,  but  they  will  not  have  to  suffer  pains 
as  they  who  are  in  Purgatory  or  hell  endure. 


*  87  Q.  Why  did  Christ  descend  into  Limbo? 
A.  Christ  descended  into  Limbo  to  preach  to  the  sov)  « 
who   were  in  prison— that  is,    to   announce    to  them  tl*  • 
joyful  tidings  of  their  rertemptlou. 


On  Our  Lord's  Passion,  Death,  Besurrection,  etc.     99 

*  88  Q.  Where  was  Christ's  body  while  His  soul  was 
in  Limbo  ? 

A.  While  Christ's  soul  was  in  Limbo  His  body  was 
in  the  Holy  Sepulchre. 

*•  Sepulchre  "  is  the  same  as  tomb.  It  is  like  a  little  room. 
In  it  the  coffin  is  not  covered  up  with  earth  as  it  is  in  the 
grave,  but  is  placed  upon  a  stand.  We  call  such  places  vaults, 
and  you  can  see  many  of  them  in  any  cemetery  or  burying- 
ground.  Sometimes  they  are  cut  in  the  side  of  elevated 
ground  with  their  entrance  level  with  the  road;  and  some- 
times they  are  bi.  It  altogether  under  the  ground.  The  one 
in  which  Our  Lord  was  placed  was  cut  out  of  the  side  of  a 
rock,  and  had  for  a  door  a  great  stone  against  the  entrance. 
Our  Lord  was  not  placed  in  a  coffin,  but  was  wrapped  in  a 
linen  cloth.  It  was  the  custom  of  the  Jewish  people  and  of 
many  other  ancient  nations  to  embalm  the  bodies  of  the  dead, 
wrap  them  in  cloths,  and  cover  them  witli  sweet  spices  (Matt. 
xxvii.  59).  Thus  it  was  that  Mary  Magdalene  and  other  good 
women  came  early  in  the  morning  to  anoint  the  body  of  Our 
Lord.  But  you  will  say,  why  did  they  not  do  it  on  Friday 
evening  or  night  ?  The  reason  was  this  :  The  day  with  the 
Jews  began  at  sunset — generally  about  six  o'clock — and  ended 
at  sunset  on  the  next  evening.  We  count  our  twenty-four 
hours,  or  day,  from  twelve  at  midnight  till  twelve  the  next 
niglit.  Therefore,  with  the  Jews  six  o'clock  on  Friday  even- 
ing was  the  beginning  of  Saturday.  They  kept  Saturday,  or 
the  Sabbath,  instead  of  Sunday  as  a  day  of  worship.  On  that 
day,  which  they  kept  very  strictly,  it  was  not  allowable  to  do 
work  of  any  kind  ;  so  they  could  not  anoint  Our  Lord's  body 
till  the  Sabbath  ended,  which  was  about  six  o'clock,  or  sunset 
on  Saturday  evening.  So,  as  the  Holy  Scripture  tells  us,  they 
came  very  early  in  the  morning;  for  Mary  Magdalene  and 
these  good  women  were  Jews,  and  strictly  observed  the  Jewish 
law.  You  must  know  that  Our  Lord  Himself,  the  Blessed 
Virgin,  St.  Joseph,  and  the  apostles  were  Jews  ;  and  that  the 
Jewish  religion  was  the  true  religion  up  to  the  corning  of  Our 
Lord;  but  as  it  was  only  a  figure  and  a  promise  of  the  Chris- 


100    On  Our  Lord's  Passion,  Death,  Resurrection,  etc. 

tian  religion,  it  ceased  to  have  any  meaning  or  to  be  the  true 
religion  when  the  Christian  religion  itself  was  established  by 
Our  Lord. 

89  Q.  On  what  day  did  Christ  rise  from  the  dead  ? 
A.  Christ  rose   from  the  dead,  glorious  and  immortal, 
on  Easter  Sunday,  the  third  day  after  His  death. 

"  Rose  "  by  His  own  power.  This  is  the  greatest  of  all  Our 
Lord's  miracles,  because  all  He  taught  is  confirmed  by  it  and 
depends  upon  it.  A  miracle  is  a  work  that  can  be  performed 
only  by  God,  or  by  some  one  to  whom  He  has  given  the 
power.  If  any  one  performs  a  real  miracle  to  prove  what  he 
says,  his  words  must  be  true;  for  God,  who  is  infinite  truth, 
could  not  sanction  a  lie — could  not  help  an  impostor  to  de- 
ceive us.  Now  Our  Lord  said  He  was  the  Son  of  God;  that 
He  could  forgive  sins,  etc. ;  and  He  performed  miracles  to 
prove  what  He  said.  Therefore  He  must  have  told  the  truth. 
So  all  those  whom  God  sent  to  do  any  great  work  were  given 
the  power  to  perform  miracles  that  the  people  might  know 
they  were  really  messengers  from  God.  They,  on  the  other 
hand,  who  claim — as  many  have  done  from  time  to  time  in 
the  world — that  they  have  been  sent  by  God  to  do  some  groat 
work,  and  can  give  no  convincing  proof  of  their  mission,  are 
not  to  be  believed.  Thus,  when  Martin  Luther  claimed  that 
he  was  sent  by  God  to  reform  the  Catholic  Church — which 
had  existed  nearly  1500  years  before  he  was  born — he  per- 
formed no  miracles,  nor  did  he  give  any  other  proof  that  he 
had  any  such  commission  from  God;  and  he  cannot  therefore 
be  believed. 

God  has  established  all  the  laws  of  nature  permanently. 
They  will  not  vary  or  change,  so  that  we  can  depend  upon 
them.  We  can  always  be  sure  that  the  sun  will  rise  and  set ; 
that  the  seasons  will  come ;  that  fire  will  burn,  etc.  Now,  if 
we  see  three  young  men  in  a  great  fiery  furnace  without  being 
burned  (Daniel  iii.),  we  say  it  is  a  great  miracle  ;  because 
naturally  the  fire  would  burn  them  up  if  God  did  not  prevent 
it.     Again,  water  will  not  stand  up  like  a  high  wall  without 


On  Our  Lord's  Passion,  Death,  Resurrection^  etc,   101 

something  keeping  it  back  ;  it  will  always  run  about  and  fill 
every  empty  spot  near  it.  If,  tlierefore,  we  see  water  standing 
up  like  a  high  wall,  as  it  did  in  the  Ked  Sea  at  the  command 
of  Moses,  and  in  the  river  Jordan,  we  say  it  is  a  miracle.  So 
in  all  cases  where  the  laws  of  nature  do  not  work  in  the  or 
dinary  manner,  we  say  a  miracle  is  being  performed.  Now 
Our  Lord  performed  many  such  miracles — many  times  He  sus« 
pended  the  laws  of  nature — which  God  alone  can  do,  since 
He  alone  established  them.  Our  Lord  called  back  the  soul 
to  the  body  after  death,  thus  raising  the  dead.  He  healed 
the  sick,  gave  sight  to  the  blind,  cured  the  lame,  etc.,  when 
all  medicine  and  natural  means  were  useless.  He  did  all 
these  things  instantly  as  a  rule,  and  without  remedies. 
Therefore  His  miracles  prove  His  divine  power.  Since  the 
resurrection  was  a  great  miracle,  and  Our  Lord  performed  it 
to  prove  that  He  was  the  true  and  only  Sou  of  God,  He  must 
have  been  just  what  He  said  He  was. 

**  Glorious."  Our  Lord  rose  in  the  same  body  He  had 
before  His  death  ;  but  when  He  rose  it  had  new  qualities — it 
was  glorified.  The  qualities  of  a  glorified  body  are  four,  viz.: 
brilliancy,  agility,  subtility,  and  impassibility.  (1)  It  has 
brilliancy;  that  is,  it  shines  like  a  light;  it  gives  forth  light; 
the  soul  shines  through  the  body.  You  have  heard  of  the 
Transfiguration  of  Our  Lord.  One  day  He  took  three  of  His 
apostles — Peter,  James,  and  John — unto  a  high  mountain 
(Matt,  xvii.)  ;  and  as  He  was  speaking  to  them,  suddenly  His 
whole  body  began  to  shine  like  the  sun.  Then  Moses  and 
Elias — two  great  and  holy  men  of  the  Old  Law — came  and  con- 
versed with  Him.  The  apostles  were  astonished  and  delighted 
at  the  sight,  and  wished  to  remain  there  always.  Our  Lord's 
body  at  that  time  showed  one  of  the  qualities  of  a  glorified 
body.  The  same  three  apostles  that  saw  Him  thus  trans- 
figured and  heard  the  voice  of  the  Heavenly  Father  saying, 
"  This  is  My  beloved  Son,"  were  present  in  the  garden  during 
Our  Lord's  agony.  He  allowed  them  to  see  the  Transfigura- 
tion, so  that  when  they  should  see  Him  suffering  as  man, 
they  would  remember  that  they  saw  Him  on  the  mountain 


102    On  Our  Lord's  Passion,  Death,  Besurredton,  etc. 

glorified  as  God.  (2)  Agility;  that  is,  a  glorified  body  caa 
move  rapidly  from  one  place  to  another,  like  the  lightning 
itself.  After  His  resurrection  Our  Lord  was  in  Jerusalem, 
and  almost  immediately  He  appeared  near  the  village  of  Em- 
maus  to  two  disciples  going  there  (Luke  xxiv.).  They  had 
left  Jerusalem  after  the  crucifixion,  probably  through  fear, 
and  were  going  along  together  talking  about  what  had  hap 
pened  during  the  days  of  Our  Lord's  Passion.  Suddenly  Oui 
Lord  came  and  walked  and  talked  with  them,  but  they  did 
not  know  Him.  They  asked  Him  to  stay  that  night  at  theii 
house,  for  it  was  growing  daik.  He  did  stop  with  them,  and 
at  supper  they  knew  Him,  and  then  He  vanished  from  theii 
sight.  An  ordinary  person  would  have  to  get  up  and  walk 
away;  but  He  vanished,  showing  on  this  occasion  the  second 
quality  of  His  glorified  body — agility.  (3)  Subtility;  that  is^ 
such  a  body  can  go  where  it  pleases  and  cannot  be  resisted  bj 
material  things.  It  can  pass  through  closed  doors  or  gates, 
and  even  walls  cannot  keep  it  out.  It  passes  through  every. 
thing,  as  light  does  through  glass  without  breaking  it.  At 
one  time  after  Our  Lord's  resurrection  the  apostles  were 
gathered  together  in  a  room,  for  they  were  still  afraid  oi 
being  put  to  death,  and  the  doors  were  tightly  closed.  Sud. 
denly  Our  Lord  stood  in  the  midst  of  them  and  said; 
"  Peace  be  to  you  "  (John  xx.  19).  They  did  not  open  the 
door  for  Him;  neither  wood  nor  stone  could  keep  Him  out; 
and  thus  He  showed  that  His  body  had  the  third  quality. 
(4)  His  body  had  the  fourth  quality  also — impassibility 
which  means  that  it  can  no  longer  suffer.  Before  His  death^ 
and  at  it,  Our  Lord  suffered  dieadful  torments, as  you  know: 
but  after  His  resurrection  nothing  could  injure  or  hurt  Him, 
The  spear  could  not  hurt  His  side,  nor  the  nails  His  hands, 
nor  the  thorns  His  head.  Shortly  after  His  resurrection  Our 
Lord  appeared  to  His  apostles  while  Thomas,  one  of  them, 
was  absent  (John  xx.  24).  When  Thomas  returned,  the 
other  apostles  told  him  that  they  had  seen  the  Lord  risen  from 
the  dead;  but  he  would  not  believe  them,  saying*  "Unless  I 
see  the  holes  where  the  nails  were  in  His  hands  and  feet,  and 


On  Our  Lord's  Passion,  Death,  Besurrection,  etc.   103 

put  my  finger  into  His  side,  I  will  not  believe."  Now  Our 
Lord,  knowing  all  things,  knew  this  also;  so  He  came  again 
when  Thomas  was  present,  and  said  to  him  :  *'Now,  Thomas, 
put  your  hand  into  My  side."  Thomas  cried  out :  "My  Lord 
and  my  God !  "  He  believed  then,  because  he  saw.  Now  ij 
this  body  of  Our  Lord's  had  been  an  ordinary  body,  it  would 
have  caused  Him  pain  to  allow  any  one  to  put  his  hand  into 
the  wound;  but  it  was  impassible.  It  seems  very  strange, 
does  it  not,  that  Thomas  would  not  believe  what  the  other 
apostles  told  him?  God  permitted  this.  Why  ?  Because,  if 
they  all  believed  easily,  some  enemies  of  Our  Lord  might  say 
the  apostles  were  simple  men  that  believed  everything  without 
any  proof.  Now  they  cannot  truly  say  so,  because  here  was 
one  of  the  apostles,  Thomas,  who  would  not  believe  without 
the  very  strongest  kind  of  proof.  Another  person,  one  would 
think,  would  have  been  satisfied  with  seeing  Our  Lord's 
wounds;  but  Thomas  would  not  trust  even  his  eyes — he  must 
also  touch  before  he  would  believe  :  showing,  therefore,  that 
the  apostles  were  not  deceived  in  anything  Our  Lord  did  in 
their  presence,  for  they  had  always  the  most  convincing 
proofs. 

After  the  resurrection,  at  the  last  day,  the  bodies  of  all 
those  Avho  are  to  be  in  heaven  will  have  the  qualities  I  have 
mentioned;  that  is,  they  will  be  glorified  bodies. 

Speaking  of  Our  Lord's  wounds,  I  might  tell  you  what 
the  Stigmata  means,  if  you  should  ever  hear  or  read  of  it. 
There  have  been  some  persons  in  the  world — saints,  of  course 
— who  have  had  upon  their  hands,  feet,  and  side  wounds  just 
like  those  Our  Lord  had,  and  these  wounds  caused  them 
great  pain.  For  example,  St.  Francis  of  Assisi  (See  Bntler's 
Lives  of  the  Saints,  Oct.  4th).  Up  to  1883 — that  is,  only  a 
few  years  ago — there  lived  in  Belgium  a  young  girl  named 
Louise  Lateau  who  had  the  Stigmata.  We  have  the  most 
positive  proof  of  it,  as  you  may  see  in  the  accounts  of  her  life 
now  published.  Her  wounds  caused  her  great  pain  and  bled 
every  Friday  for  many  years.  She  was  a  delicate  seamstress, 
and  lived  i;?iih  her  mother  and  sisters  in  almost  continual 


104  On  Our  Lord's  Passion,  Death,  Resurrection,  eta, 

poverty.  She  had  always  been  remarkable  for  her  true  piety, 
patience  in  suffering,  and  charity  to  the  sick.  I  mention  this 
young  girl  because  she  lived  in  our  own  time,  and  is  the  latest 
person  we  know  of  who  had  the  Stigmata,  or  wounds  of  Oii>^ 
Lord.  So  if  you  ever  hear  of  the  Stigmata  of  St.  Francis  or 
others,  you  will  know  that  it  means  wounds  like  those  of  Our 
Lord  impressed  on  their  bodies  in  a  miraculous  manner. 

"Immortal" — that  is,  never  to  die  again,  as  it  will  be  with 
us  also  after  the  resurrection. 

"The  third  day."  It  was  not  three  full  days,  but  the 
parts  of  three  days.  Suppose  some  one  should  ask  you  on 
Friday  evening  how  long  from  now  to  Sunday ;  you  would 
answer:  Sunday  will  be  the  third  day  from  to-day.  You 
would  count  thus  :  Friday  one,  Saturday  two,  and  Sunday 
itself  three.  So  it  was  with  Our  Lord.  He  died  on  Friday  at 
about  three  in  the  afternoon,  and  remained  in  the  sepulchre 
till  Sunday  morning. 

*  90  Q.  How  long  did  Christ  stay  on  earth  after  Sis 
resurrection  ? 

A.  Christ  stayed  on  earth  forty  days  after  BUs  resur- 
rection, to  show  that  He  was  truly  risen  from  the  dead, 
and  to  instruct  His  apostles. 

After  Our  Lord's  resurrection  He  remained  on  earth  forty 
days  :  but  you  must  not  think  He  was  visible  all  that  time. 
No.  He  did  not  appear  to  everybody,  but  only  to  certain  per- 
sons, and  not  all  the  time  to  them  either.  He  appeared  to 
His  apostles  and  others  in  all  about  nine  times;  at  least,  we 
Icnow  for  certain  that  He  appeared  nine  times,  though  He 
may  have  appeared  of  tener.  He  showed  that  "  He  was  truly 
risen,"  for  He  ate  with  His  apostles  and  conversed  with  them 
(Luke  xxiv.  42).  It  was  after  the  resurrection  that  He 
breathed  on  them  and  gave  them  the  power  to  forgive  sins 
(John  XX.). 

91  Q.  After  Christ  had  remained  forty  days  on  earth, 
whither  did  He  go? 

A.  After  forty  dfl.vs  Christ  ascended  into  heaven,  and 


On  Our  Lord*s  Passion,  Death,  Resurrection,  etc.   105 

the  day  on  which  He  ascended  into  heaven  is  called  Ascen- 
sion-day. 

One  day  He  was  on  a  mountain  with  His  apostles  and  dis- 
ciples ;  and  as  He  was  talking  to  them  He  began  to  rise  up 
slowly  and  quietly,  just  as  you  have  sometimes  seen  a  balloon 
soar  up  into  the  air  without  noise.  Higher  and  higher  He 
ascended ;  and  as  they  gazed  up  at  Him,  the  clouds  opened 
to  receive  Him,  then  closed  under  Him :  and  that  was  the 
Jast  of  Our  Lord's  mission  as  man  upon  earth.  The  ascension 
took  place  forty  days  after  the  resurrection  (Acts  of  the 
Apostles  i.). 

*  92  Q.  Where  is  Christ  in  heaven  P 

A.  In  heaven  Christ  sits  at  the  right  hand  of  God 
the  Father  Almighty. 

*  93  Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  saying  that  Christ  sits 
at  the  right  hand  of  God  ? 

A.  When  I  say  that  Christ  sits  at  the  right  hand  of 
God,  I  mean  that  Christ  as  God  is  equal  to  His  Father 
in  all  things,  and  that  as  man  He  is  in  the  highest  place 
in  heaven  next  to  God. 


106  On  the  Holy  Ghost  and  His  Descent  upon  ine  Apostle* 


LESSOX  NINTH. 

iN    THE    HOLY   GHOST    AND    HIS    DESCENT   UPON    TH* 

APOSTLES. 

tJ4  Q.  Who  is  the  Holy  Ghost? 

A.  The  Holy  Ghost  is  the  Third  Person  of  the  Blessed 
Trinity. 

*95  Q.  From  Whom  does  the  Holy  Ghost  proceed? 
A.  The   Holy  Ghost  proceeds  from  the  Father  and 
the  Son. 

*  96  Q.  Is  the  Holy  Ghost  equal  to  the  Father  and  the 
Son? 

A.  The  Holy  Ghost  is  equal  to  the  Father  and  tke 
Son,  being  the  same  Lord  and  God  as  they  are. 

*  97  Q.  On  what  day  did  the  Holy  Ghost  come'  down 
upon  the  apostles? 

A.  The  Holy  Ghost  came  down  upon  the  apostles  ten 
days  after  the  Ascension  of  Our  Lord;  and  the  day  on 
which  He  came  down  upon  the  apostles  is  called  Whit- 
sunday or  Pentecost. 

We  have  seen  already  that  the  apostles  fled  and  were  very 
much  afraid  when  Our  Lord  was  taken  prisoner.  Even 
Peter,  the  chief  of  the  apostles,  who  said  he  would  die  rather 
than  leave  Our  Lord,  shamefully  denied  Him;  and  St.  John, 
the  beloved  disciple,  stood  near  the  cross,  but  offered  no  re- 
sistance to  Our  Lord's  enemies.  After  the  crucifixion  of  Our 
Lord,  the  apostles,  afraid  of  being  put  to  death,  shut  them- 
selves up  in  a  room.  Ten  days  after  Our  Lord's  ascension 
they  were  praying  as  usual  in  their  room,  when  suddenly 
they  heard  the  sound  as  it  were  of  a  great  wind,  and  then 
thev  saw  tongues  the  shape  of  our  own.  but  all  on  fire,  com- 


On  the  Holy  Ghost  and  Sis  Descent  upon  the  Apostles.   107 

ing,  and  one  tongue  resting  on  the  head  of  each  apostle  pres- 
ent (Acts  of  the  Apostles  ii. ), 

This  was  the  Holy  Ghost  coming  to  them.  The  Holy 
Ghost,  being  a  pure  spirit  without  a  body,  can  take  any  form 
He  pleases.  He  sometimes  came  in  the  form  of  a  dove;  so 
when  you  see  a  dove  painted  in  a  church  near  the  altar,  it  is 
there  to  represent  the  Holy  Ghoat.  You  could  not  paint  a 
spirit,  so  angels  and  God  Himself  are  generally  represented  in 
pictures  as  they  at  some  time  appeared  to  men. 

"Whit-Sunday,"  or  White-Sunday;  probably  so  called 
because  in  the  early  ages  of  the  Church  converts  were  bap. 
tized  on  the  day  before,  and  after  their  baptism  wore  white 
i-obes  or  garments  as  a  mark  of  the  soul's  purity  after  baptism. 

"Pentecost"  means  the  fiftieth  day,  because  the  feast 
comes  fifty  days  after  the  resurrection  of  Our  Lord.  After 
His  resurrection  He  remained  forty  days  upon  earth,  and  ten 
days  after  He  ascended  into  heaven  the  Holy  Ghost  came, 
thus  making  the  fifty  days. 

After  the  Holy  Ghost  came  down  upon  the  apostles  they 
were  no  longer  timid  men.  They  went  forth  boldly  into  the 
streets  and  preached  Christ  crucified  ;  telling  the  people  how 
the  Son  of  God — the  true  Messias  promised — had  been  put  to 
death.  Many  who  heard  them  believed  and  were  baptized. 
The  first  time  St.  Peter  preached  to  the  people  three  thousand 
were  converted  (Acts  of  the  Apostles  ii.  41)  ;  so  that  when  all 
the  apostles  preached  the  number  of  Christians  increased 
rapidly,  and  the  Christian  religion  was  soon  carried  to  distant 
parts  of  the  world.  "^ 

At  the  time  Our  Lord  was  put  to  death  the  Jews  were 
celebrating  a  great  feast  in  Jerusalem.  The  Jews  were  not 
like  us  in  this  respect.  We  have  many  churches,  and  in  all  oil 
them  sacrifice,  that  is,  the  Holy  Mass,  is  offered.  The  Jews 
had  only  one  temple  where  sacrifice  could  be  offered,  and 
that  was  in  Jerusalem.  They  had  synagogues  or  meeting' 
houses  throughout  the  land  in  which  they  assembled  to  pray 
and  hear  the  Holy  Scriptures  read;  but  they  could  not  offer 
sacrifice  in  them.     Three  timfis  a  year  they  went  to  Jerusalem 


108    On  the  Holy  Ghost  and  His  Descent  upon  the  Apostles. 

to  celebrate  their  great  feasts.  One  of  these  feasts  was  called 
the  Pasch,  or  Passover,  and  it  was  during  the  celebration  of 
that  feast  that  Our  Lord  was  put  to  death;  so  that  tliere  were 
many  persons  from  all  parts  of  the  nation  present  at  the  sad 
execution.  I  must  now  tell  you  why  they  celebrated  the 
Pasch.  We  generally  celebrate  a  feast  to  commemorate — to 
remind  us  of — some  great  event;  and  the  Jews  celebrated  this 
feast  to  remind  them  of  their  deliverance  from  the  slavery  of 
the  Egyptians,  in  which  their  ancestors  had  been  suffering  for 
about  two  hundred  years.  At  the  end  of  that  time  God  sent 
Moses  to  deliver  them.  You  should  know,  then,  who  Moses 
was  and  what  he  did  to  deliver  his  people,  and  you  should  know 
also  something  of  the  history  of  his  people — the  Israelites — 
and  how  they  came  to  be  in  Egypt. 

At  the  time  I  am  now  going  to  speak  of  the  old  patriarch 
Jacob,  Abraham's  grandson,  had  eleven  sons — for  Benjamin, 
the  twelfth  son,  was  born  afterwards — and  the  youngest  was 
Dalled  Joseph.  Joseph  was  the  favorite  of  his  father,  and  his 
orothers  were  jealous  of  him.  The  brothers  were  shepherds, 
and  used  to  take  their  flocks  to  feed  at  a  great  distance  from 
home,  and  did  not  return  for  a  long  time.  One  day  the 
father  sent  Joseph  to  his  brothers  to  see  if  all  were  well. 
They  hated  Joseph  because  his  father  loved  him  best;  and 
when  they  saw  him  coming  they  agreed  never  to  let  him 
return  to  his  father  (Genesis  xxxvii.).  They  intended  to  kill 
]iim.  While  they  were  debating  about  how  they  should  put 
him  to  death — he  was  then  only  sixteen  years  old — some  mer- 
chants passed  on  their  way  to  Egypt;  so,  instead  of  killing 
him,  they  sold  him  as  a  slave  to  the  merchants.  Then  they 
took  Joseph's  coat  and  dipped  it  in  the  blood  of  a  kid,  and 
sent  it  to  their  poor  old  father,  saying  they  had  found  it,  and 
making  him  believe  that  some  wild  beast  on  the  way  had 
eaten  Joseph.  When  the  merchants  arrived  in  Egypt,  Poti- 
phar,  one  of  the  king's  officers,  bought  Joseph,  and  brought 
him  as  a  slave  to  his  own  house.  While  there,  Joseph  was 
falsely  accused  of  a  great  crime,  and  cast  into  prison.  While 
Joseph  was  in  prison  the  king  had  a  dream  (Genesis  xli.). 
He  saw  ip  the  dream  seven  fat  cows  coming  up  out  of  a 


On  the  Holy  Ghost  and  His  Descent  upon  the  Apostles.   iOy 

river,  followed  by  seven  lean  cows ;  and  the  lean  cows  ate  up 
the  fat  cows.  He  saw  also  seven  fat  ears  of  corn  and  seven 
lean  ears  of  corn;  and  the  seven  lean  ears  ate  up  the  seven 
fat  ears.  The  king  was  very  much  troubled,  and  called  to- 
gether all  his  wise  men  to  tell  him  what  the  dream  meant,  but 
they  could  not.  Then  the  king  heard  of  Joseph,  and  sent  for 
him.  Now  Joseph  was  a  very  good  young  man,  and  God 
showed  him  the  meaning  ;  so  he  told  the  king  that  the  seven 
fat  ears  of  corn  and  the  seven  fat  cows  meant  seven  years  of 
great  abundance  in  Egypt,  and  that  the  seven  lean  ears  and 
the  seven  lean  cows  meant  seven  years  of  famine  that  would 
follow,  and  all  the  abundance  of  the  previous  seven  years 
would  be  consumed.  So  he  advised  the  king  to  build  great 
barns  during  the  years  of  plenty,  and  gather  up  all  the  corn 
everywhere  to  save  it  for  the  years  of  famine.  The  king  was 
delighted  at  Joseph's  wisdom,  and  made  him  after  himself 
the  most  powerful  in  the  kingdom,  giving  him  charge  of 
everything,  so  that  Joseph  himself  might  do  what  he  had  ad- 
vised. Now  it  happened  years  after  this  that  there  was  a 
famine  in  the  country  where  Joseph's  father  lived,  and  he 
sent  all  his  sons  down  into  Egypt  to  buy  corn  (Genesis  xlii.). 
They  did  not  know  their  brother  Joseph,  but  he  knew  them  ; 
and  after  forgiving  them  for  what  they  had  done  to  him,  he 
sent  them  home  with  an  abundance  of  corn.  Afterwards 
Joseph's  father  and  brothers  left  their  own  country  and  came 
to  live  near  Joseph  in  Egypt.  The  king  gave  them  good 
land  (Genesis  xlvii.),  and  they  lived  there  in  peace  and  hap- 
piness. Learn  from  this  beautiful  history  of  Joseph  how  God 
protects  those  that  love  and  serve  Him  no  matter  where  they 
are  or  in  what  danger  they  may  be  placed  ;  and  how  He  even 
turns  the  evil  deeds  of  their  enemies  into  blessings  for  them. 

After  the  death  of  Joseph  and  his  brothers,  their  descend- 
ants became  very  numerous,  and  the  new  king  of  the  Egyp- 
tians began  to  persecute  them  (Exodus  i.).  He  imposed 
upon  them  the  hardest  works,  and  treated  them  most  cruelly. 
He  ordered  that  all  their  male  infants  should,  as  soon  as  born, 
be  thro"^n  into  the  river  Nile.  Now  about  that  time  Moses 
was  born  (Exodus  ii.)      Hia  motJier  did  not  obey  the  king's 


110    On  the  Holy  Ghost  and  His  Descent  upon  the  Apostles. 

order,  but  hid  him  for  about  three  months.  When  she  could 
conceal  him  no  longer  she  made  a  little  cradle  of  rushes,  and 
covering  it  over  with  pitch  or  tar  to  keep  out  the  water, 
placed  him  in  it,  and  then  laid  it  in  the  tall  grass  by  tl)c  edge 
of  the  river,  sending  his  little  sister  to  watch  what  would  be- 
come of  him.  Just  then  the  king's  daughter  came  down  to 
bathe,  and  seeing  the  little  child,  ordered  one  of  her  servants 
to  bring  liim  to  her.  At  that  moment  Moses*  little  sister, 
pretending  not  to  know  him,  ran  up  and  asked  the  king's 
daughter  if  she  wished  to  procure  a  nurse  for  him.  The 
king's  daughter  replied  in  the  affirmative  and  permitted  her 
to  bring  one;  so  Moses'  own  mother  was  brought  and  engaged 
to  be  his  nurse:  but  he  was  not  known  as  her  son,  but  as  tiie 
adopted  son  of  the  king's  daughter.  When  Moses  grew  up 
he  was  an  officer  in  the  king's  army;  but  because  he  took  the 
part  of  his  persecuted  countrymen  he  offended  the  king,  and 
had  to  fly  from  the  palace.  He  then  went  into  another 
country  and  became  a  shepherd. 

During  all  this  time  the  persecuted  Israelites  were  pray- 
ing to  the  true  God  to  be  delivered  from  the  slavery  of  the 
Egyptians,  who  were  idolaters.  One  day  Moses  saw  a  bush 
burning;  and  as  he  came  near  to  look  at  it,  he  heard  a  voice 
telling  him  not  to  come  too  near,  and  bidding  him  take  off 
his  shoes,  for  he  was  on  holy  ground  (Exodus  iii.).  It  was 
Rod  Who  thus  appeared  and  spoke  to  him,  and  He  ordered 
him  to  take  off  his  shoes  as  a  mark  of  respect  and  reverence. 
Wlien  we  want  to  show  our  respect  for  any  person  or  place,  v/e 
take  off  our  hats;  but  the  people  of  that  country,  instead  of 
^heir  hats,  took  off  their  shoes.  It  was  the  custom  of  the 
country  and  did  not  seem  strange  to  them. 

Then  God  told  Moses  that  He  was  going  to  send  him  to 
deliver  His  people  from  the  Egyptians  and  lead  them  back  to 
their  own  country  ;  and  He  sent  Aaron,  the  brother  of  Moses, 
with  him.  Then  Moses  said  to  God,  the  king  of  Egypt  will 
not  let  the  people  go,  and  what  can  I  do  ?  God  gave  Moses 
two  signs  or  miracles  to  show  the  king,  so  that  he  could  know 
that  Moses  was  really  sent  by  Him.     He  gave  him  power  to 


On  the  Holy  Ghost  and  His  Descent  upon  the  Apostles.    Ill 

change  a  rod  into  a  serpent,  and  back  again  into  a  rod; 
power  also  to  bring  a  disease  instantly  upon  his  hand,  and  to 
, Ileal  it  instantly  (Exodus  iv.).  Do  these,  said  Almighty  God, 
in  the  presence  of  the  king.  Then  Moses  and  Aaron  went  to 
the  king  and  did  as  God  commanded  them;  and  when  the 
rod  of  Aaron  became  a  serpent,  the  king's  magicians — that  is, 
men  who  do  apparently  wonderful  things  by  sleight  of  hand 
or  the  power  of  the  devil — cast  their  rods  upon  the  ground, 
and  they  also  became  serpents,— not  that  their  rods  were 
changed  into  serpents,  but  the  devil,  who  was  helping  them, 
took  away  instantly  their  rods  and  put  real  serpents  in  their 
place, — but  Aaron's  serpent  swallowed  them  up  (Exodus  vii.). 
After  these  signs  the  king  would  not  let  the  people  go  with 
Moses;  for  God  permitted  the  king's  heart  to  be  hardened, 
so  that  all  the  Egyptians  might  see  the  great  work  God  was 
going  to  do  for  His  people. 

Then  God  sent  the  ten  plagues  upon  the  Egyptians,  while 
the  Israelites — God's  people — suffered  nothing  from  these 
plagues. 

The  first  plague  was  blood.  All  the  water  in  the  land  was 
converted  into  blood  (Exodus  vii.).  The  king  then  sent  for 
Moses,  and  promised  that  if  he  would  take  away  the  plague 
he  would  allow  all  the  people  to  depart.  Moses  prayed  to 
God,  and  the  plague  was  removed.  But  after  it  was  taken 
away  the  king's  heart  was  hardened  again  and  he  would  not 
keep  his  promise.  Just  as  people  in  sickness,  distress,  or 
danger  sometimes  promise  God  they  will  lead  better  lives  if 
only  He  will  help  them,  and  when  they  are  saved  they  do 
not  keep  their  promises,  so  did  Pharao;  and  therefore  God 
sent  another  plague.  The  second  plague  was  frogs.  Great 
numbers  of  them  came  out  of  the  rivers  and  lakes,  and  filled 
all  the  houses  of  the  Egyptians,  and  crawled  into  their  food, 
beds,  etc.  Again  the  king  sent  for  Moses  and  did  as  before  ; 
and  again  Moses  prayed,  and  all  the  frogs  went  back  into  the 
waters  or  died  (Exodus  viii.).  But  the  king  again  hardened 
his  heart  and  did  not  keep  his  promise.  The  thii'd  plague 
was  sciniphs  (Exodus  viii.) — very  small  flies,  that  filled  the 


112    On  the  Holy  Ghost  and  His  Descent  upon  the  Apostles. 

land.  Imagine  our  country  filled  with  mosquitoes  so  nu- 
merous that  you  could  scarcely  walk  through  them ;  it  tVould 
be  a  dreadful  plague.  As  it  is,  two  or  three  might  cause 
you  considerable  annoyance  and  pain:  what  then  if  there 
were  millions  doubly  venomous,  because  sent  to  punish  you  ? 
So  these  little  flies  must  have  greatly  punished  the  Egyptians. 
The  fourth  plague  was  flies  that  filled  the  land  and  covered 
everything,  to  the  great  disgust  of  the  people.  The  fifth 
plague  was  murrain — a  disease  that  broke  out  among  the  cattle. 
The  sixth  plague  was  a  disease — boils — that  broke  out  on  men 
and  beasts,  so  that  scarcely  any  one  could  move  on  account  kjI 
the  pains  and  suffering.  The  seventh  plague  was  hail,  that 
fell  in  large  pieces  and  destroyed  all  their  crops.  The  eighth 
plague  was  locusts.  These  are  very  destructive  little  animals. 
They  look  something  like  our  grasshoppers,  but  are  about  two 
or  three  times  their  size.  They  fly  and  come  in  millions. 
They  come  to  this  country  in  large  numbers — almost  a  plague 
— every  fifteen  or  twenty-five  years,  and  the  farmers  fear  them 
very  much.  They  eat  up  every  green  blade  or  leaf,  and  thus 
destroy  all  the  crops  and  trees.  When  the  locusts  came  upon 
Egypt,  Moses,  at  the  king's  request,  prayed,  and  God  sent 
a  strong  wind  that  swept  them  into  the  sea,  where  they 
perished  in  the  water.  The  ninth  plague  was  a  horrible  dark- 
ness for  three  days  in  all  the  land  of  Egypt.  The  tenth 
plague,  the  last,  was  the  most  terrible  of  all — the  killing  of 
the  first-born  in  all  the  laud  of  Egypt  (Exodus  xii.).  God  in^ 
structed  Moses  to  tell  the  Israelites  in  the  land  that  on  a  cer- 
tain night  they  were  to  take  a  lamb  in  each  family,  kill  it, 
and  sprinkle  its  blood  on  the  door-posts  of  their  houses. 
They  were  then  to  cook  the  lamb  and  eat  it  standing, 
with  their  garments  ready  as  for  a  journey  (Exodus  xii.). 
The  lamb  was  called  the  paschal  lamb,  and  was,  after  that, 
to  be  eaten  every  year,  at  about  what  is  with  us  Easter-time, 
in  commemoration  of  this  event.  That  night  God  sent  an 
angel  through  all  the  land,  and  he  killed  the  first-born  of 
man  and  beast  in  all  the  houses  of  the  Egyptians.     That  is. 


Ot.  the  Holy  Ghost  and  His  Descent  upon  the  Apostles.  113 

he  killed  the  eldest  son  in  the  house ;  and  if  the  father  was 
the  first-born  in  his  father's  family,  he  was  killed  also;  and 
the  same  for  the  beasts.  This  was  a  tei-rible  punishment.  In" 
the  house  of  every  Egyptian  there  were  some  dead,  but  not 
one  in  the  houses  of  the  Israelites;  for  when  the  angel  saw 
the  blood  of  the  lamb  on  the  door-posts,  he  passed  over  and 
did  not  enter  into  their  houses,  so  that  this  event,  called  Pass- 
over or  Pasch,  was  kept  always  as  a  great  feast  by  God's  peo- 
ple. This  paschal  lamb  was  a  figure  of  our  blessed  Lord, 
for  as  its  blood  saved  the  Israelites  from  death,  so  Our  Lord's 
"blood  saved  and  still  saves  us  from  eternal  death  in  hell. 

After  that  dreadful  night  Pharao  allowed  the  people  to 
depart  with  Moses;  but  when  they  had  gone  as  far  as  the 
Eed  Sea,  he  was  sorry  he  let  them  go,  and  set  out  with  a  great 
army  to  bring  them  back.  There  the  people  stood,  with  the 
sea  before  them  and  Pharao  and  his  army  coming  behind 
tliem;  but  God  provided  for  them  a  means  of  escape.  At 
God's  command,  Moses  stretched  his  rod  over  the  sea,  and 
the  waters  divided  and  stood  like  great  walls  on  either  side; 
and  all  the  people  passed  through  the  opening  in  the  waters, 
on  the  dry  bed  of  the  sea  (Exodus  xiv.). 

Pharao  attempted  to  follow  them,  but  when  he  and  his 
army  were  on  the  dry  bed  of  the  sea,  between  the  two  walls  of 
water,  God  allowed  the  waters  to  close  over  them,  and  they 
were  all  drowned.  Then  the  Israelites  began  the  great  journey 
through  the  desert,  in  which  they  travelled  for  forty  years. 
During  all  that  time  God  fed  them  with  manna.  He  Him- 
self, as  a  guide,  went  with  them  in  a  cloud,  that  shaded  them 
from  the  heat  of  the  sun  during  the  day  and  was  a  light  for 
them  at  night.  But  you  will  ask  :  Was  the  desert  so  large 
that  it  took  forty  years  to  cross  it?  No,  but  these  people, 
notwithstanding  all  God  had  done  for  them,  sinned  against 
Him  in  the  desert;  so  He  permitted  them  to  wander  about 
through  it  till  a  new  generation  of  people  grew  up,  who  were  to 
be  led  into  the  promised  land  by  Josue,  the  successor  of  Moses. 
From  this  we  may  learn  a  lesson  for  ourselves :  God  will  always 


114  On  the  Holy  Ghost  and  His  Descent  upon  the  Apostles. 

punish  those  who  deserve  it,  even  though  He  loves  them  and 
may  often  have  done  great  things  to  save  them;  but  He  will 
wait  for  His  own  time  to  punish. 

The  Israelites  then,  as  I  have  said,  went  from  every  part  of 
the  land  up  to  the  Temple  in  Jerusalem  to  celebrate  the  Pasch 
each  year.  It  was  during  one  of  these  celebrations  that  Our 
Lord  was  put  to  death,  and  during  another  feast  that  St. 
Peter  preached  to  the  people  after  .Our  Lord's  death.  He 
spoke  only  in  one  language,  and  yet  all  his  hearers  understood, 
for  each  heard  his  own  language  spoken  (Acts  of  the  Apostles 
ii.  6).  This  was  called  the  gift  of  tongues,  and  was  given  to 
the  Apostles  when  the  Holy  Ghost  came  upon  them.  For 
example,  if  each  of  you  came  from  a  different  country  and 
understood  the  language  only  of  the  country  from  which  you 
came,  and  I  gave  the  instructions  only  in  English,  then  if 
every  one  thought  I  was  speaking  his  language — German, 
French,  Spanish,  Italian,  etc., — and  understood  me,  I  Mould 
have  what  is  called  the  gift  of  tongues,  and  it  would  be  a 
great  miracle,  as  it  was  when  bestowed  upon  the  npostles. 

In  the  first  ages  of  the  Church  God  performed  more  mira- 
cles than  He  does  now,  because  they  are  not  now  so  necessary. 
These  miracles  were  performed  only  to  make  the  Church 
better  known,  and  to  prove  that  she  was  the  true  Church,  with 
her  power  and  authority  from  God.  That  can  now  be  known 
and  seen  in  Christian  countries  without  miracles.  These 
special  gifts,  like  the  gift  of  tongues,  were  given  also  to  some 
af  the  early  Christians  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  when  they  re- 
ceived confirmation;  but  they  were  not  a  part  of  or  necessary 
for  confirmation,  but  only  to  show  the  power  of  the  true 
religion.  Those  who  heard  St.  Peter  preach,  when  they  went 
back  to  their  own  countries  told  what  they  had  seen  and 
heard,  and  thus  their  countrymen  were  prepared  to  receive 
the  Gospel  when  the  apostles  came  to  preach  it. 

*  98  Q.  How  did  the  Holy  Ghost  come  down  upon  the 
apostles  ? 


On  the  Holy  Ghost  and  His  Descent  upon  the  Apostles.  115 

A.  The  Holy  Ghost  came  down  upon  the  apostles  in 
the  form  of  tongues  of  fire. 

99  Q.  Who  sent  the  Holy  G-host  upon  the  apostles  ? 
A.  Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  sent  the  Holy  Ghost  upon 

the  apostles. 

100  Q.  Why  did  Christ  send  the  Holy  Ghost? 

A.  Christ  sent  the  Holy  Ghost  to  sanctify  His  Church, 
to  enlighten  and  strengthen  the  apostles,  and  to  enable 
them  to  preach  the  Gospel. 

"  Sanctify,"  to  make  more  holy  by  the  grace  which  He 
would  give  to  the  members  of  the  Church.  "  To  enlighten." 
The  apostles  did  not  understand  very  well  everything  Our 
Lord  taught  while  He  was  with  them;  but  after  the  Holy 
Ghost  came  upon  them  they  understood  perfectly,  and  re. 
nierabered  many  things  which  Our  Lord  said  to  them, 
and  understood  the  true  meaning  of  all.  The  propheta 
foretold  that  when  the  Messias,  Christ,  would  come,  He  would 
bring  all  the  world  under  His  power.  The  prophets  meant 
in  a  spiritual  sense;  but  most  of  the  people  understood  that 
He  was  to  be  a  great  general,  with  powerful  armies,  who  would 
subdue  all  the  nations  of  the  earth,  and  bring  them  under  the 
authority  of  the  Jews.  We  know  they  thought  that  the  great 
kingdom  He  was  to  establish  -upon  earth  would  be  a  tem^ 
poral  kingdom,  from  many  of  their  sayings  and  actions.  One 
^ay  the  mother  of  two  of  Our  Lord's  apostles  came  to  ask 
Him  if,  when  He  had  established  His  kingdom  upon  the 
earth,  He  would  give  her  sons  honorable  positions  in  it,  and 
place  them  high  in  authority  (Matt.  xx.  20).  Our  Lord  told 
her  she  did  not  understand  what  she  tvas  asking.  This  showj 
that  even  some  of  the  apostles — much  less  the  people — diO 
not  understand  the  full  nature  of  Our  Lord's  mission  upon 
earth,  nor  of  His  kingdom,  the  Church.  Often  too,  when  Ha 
preached  to  the  people,  the  apostles  asked  Him  on  His  return 
what  His  sermon  meant  (Luke  viii.  9).     But  after  the  Holy 


116  On  the  Holy  Ghost  and  His  Descent  upon  the  Apostles. 

Ghost  came,  they  were  enlightened,  and  understood  all  without 
difficulty.  "  Strengthen."  I  told  you  already  that  before  the 
Holy  Ghost  came  they  were  timid  and  afraid  of  being  arrested; 
but  that  afterwards  they  went  out  boldly,  and  taught  all  they 
had  leiarned  from  Our  Lord.  They  were  often  taken  prison- 
ers and  scourged,  but  it  mattered  not — they  were  firm  in 
their  faith,  and  could  suffer  anything  for  Christ  after  they 
had  been  enlightened  and  strengthened  by  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Finally,  they  were  all,  with  the  exception  of  St.  John,  put 
to  death  for  their  holy  faith.  St.  Peter  and  St.  Paul  were 
crucified  at  Kome  about  the  year  65,  that  is,  about  thirty-two 
years  after  the  death  of  Our  Lord.  St.  James  was  beheaded 
by  order  of  King  Herod.  St.  John  lived  the  longest,  and 
was  the  only  one  of  the  apostles  who  was  not  put  to  death, 
though  he  was  cast  into  a  large  vessel  of  boiling  oil,  but  was 
miraculously  saved. 

Certainly  by  dying  for  their  faith  the  apostles  showed 
that  they  were  not  impostors  or  hypocrites.  They  must 
really  have  believed  what  they  taught,  otherwise  they  would 
not  have  laid  down  their  lives  for  it.  They  were  certain  of 
what  they  taught,  as  we  saw  when  speaking  of  St.  Thomas. 

*  101    Q.  Will  the  Holy  Ghost  abide  with  the  Church 
forever  ? 

A.  The  Holy  Ghost  will  abide  with  the  Churcl   for- 
ever, and  guide  it  in  the  way  of  holiness  and  truth. 

"Abide"  means  to  stay  with  us. 


On  the  Effects  of  tlie  Bedemption.  117 


LESSON  TENTH. 
ON  THE  EFFECTS   OF  THE  REDEMPTION. 

102  Q.  Which  are  the  chief  effects  of  the  redemption? 
A.  The  chief  effects  of  the  redemption  are  two :   the 

satisfaction   of  God's  justice  by  Christ's    sufferings  and 
death,  and  the  gaining  of  grace  for  men. 

An  effect  is  that  which  is  caused  by  something  else.  If 
you  place  a  danger-signal  on  a  broken  railroad  track  the  effect 
will  be  preventing  the  wreck  of  the  train,  and  the  cause  will 
be  your  placing  the  signal.  Many  effects  may  flow  from  one 
cause.  In  our  example,  see  all  the  good  effects  that  may 
follow  your  placing  the  signal — the  cars  are  not  broken,  the 
passengers  are  not  killed,  the  rails  are  not  torn  out  of  their 
places,  etc.  Thus  the  redemption  had  two  effects,  namely,  to 
satisfy  God  for  the  offence  offered  Him  by  the  sins  of  men, 
and  to  merit  grace  to  be  used  for  our  benefit. 

103  Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  grace? 

A.  By  grace  I  mean  a  supernatural  gift  of  God  be- 
stowed on  us,  through  the  merits  of  Jesus  Christ,  for 
our  salvation. 

"Supernatural,"  that  is,  above  nature.  "A  gift;"  some- 
thing, therefore,  that  God  does  not  owe  us.  He  owes  us  noth- 
ing, strictly  speaking.  Health,  talents,  and  such  things  are 
natural  gifts,  and  belong  to  our  nature  as  men;  but  grace  is 
something  above  our  nature,  given  to  our  soul.  God  gives  it 
to  us  on  account  of  the  love  He  has  for  His  Son,  Our  Lord, 
"Who  merited  it  for  us  by  dying  for  us.  "  Merits."  A  merit 
is  some  excellence  or  goodness  which  entitles  one  to  honor  or 
reward.  Grace  is  a  help  we  get  to  do  something  that  will  be 
pleasing  to  God.     When  there  is  anything  in  our  daily  works 


118  On  the  Effects  of  the  Redemption. 

that  we  cannot  do  alone,  we  naturally  look  for  lielp;  for  ex- 
ample, to  lift  some  heavy  weight  is  only  a  natural  act,  not  a 
supernatural  act,  and  the  help  we  need  for  it  is  only  natural 
help.  But  if  we  are  going  to  do  something  above  and  beyond 
our  nature,  and  cannot  do  it  alone,  we  must  not  look  for 
natural,  but  for  supernatural,  help;  that  is,  the  help  must 
always  be  like  the  work  to  be  done.  Therefore  all  spiritual 
works  need  spiritual  help,  and  spiritual  help  is  grace. 

104  Q.  How  many  kinds  of  grace  are  there? 

A.  There  are  two  kinds  of  grace— sanctifying  grace 
and  actual  grace. 

105  Q.  What  is  sanctifying  grace? 

A.  Sanctifying  grace  is  that  grace  which  makes  the 
soul  holy  and  pleasing  to  God. 

"  Sanctifying,"  that  is,  making  us  holy  by  cleansing,  puri- 
fying our  souls.  Sin  renders  the  soul  ugly  and  displeasing  tc 
God,  and  grace  purifies  it.  Suppose  I  have  something  brighl 
and  beautiful  given  to  me,  and  take  no  care  of  it,  but  let  it  lie 
around  in  dusty  places  until  it  becomes  tarnished  and  soiled, 
loses  all  its  beauty,  and  appears  black  and  ugly.  To  restore 
its  beauty  I  must  clean  and  polish  it.  Thus  the  soul  black- 
ened by  sin  must  be  cleaned  by  God's  grace.  If  the  soul  is 
in  mortal  sin — altogether  blackened— then  sanctifying  grace 
brings  back  its  brightness  and  makes  it  pleasing  to  God;  but 
if  the  soul  is  already  bright,  though  stained  or  darkened  a 
little  by  venial  sin,  then  grace  makes  it  still  brighter. 

*  106  Q.  What  do  you  call  those  graces  or  gifts  of  God 
by  which  we  believe  in  Him,  hope  in  Him,  and  love 
Him? 

A.  Those  graces  or  gifts  of  God  by  which  we  believe 
in  Him,  and  hope  in  Him,  and  love  Him,  are  called  the 
divine  virtues  of  faith,  hope,  and  charity. 

"  Virtues."  Virtue  is  the  habit  of  doing  good.  The 
opposite  to  virtue  is  vice,  which  is  the  habit  of  doing  evil. 


On  the  Effects  of  the  Redemption.  119 

We  acquire  a  habit  bad  or  good  when  we  do  the  same  thing 
very  frequently.  We  tlien  do  it  easily  and  almost  without 
thinking;  as  a  man,  for  instance,  who  has  the  habit  of  cursing 
curses  almost  without  knowing  it,  though  that  does  not 
excuse  him,  but  makes  his  case  worse,  by  showing  that  he 
must  have  cursed  very  often  to  acquire  the  habit.  If,  how- 
ever, he  is  striving  to  overcome  the  bad  habit,  and  should 
unintentionally  curse  now  and  then,  it  would  not  be  a  sin, 
since  he  did  not  wish  to  curse,  and  was  trying  to  overcome 
the  vice.  Oiie  act  does  not  make  a  virtue  or  a  vice.  A  per- 
son who  gives  alms  only  once  cannot  be  said  to  have  the 
virtue  of  charity.  A  man  who  curses  only  once  a  year 
cannot  be  said  to  have  the  vice  of  cursing.  Faith,  hope, 
and  charity  are  infused  by  God  into  our  souls,  and  are  there- 
fore called  infused  virtues,  to  distinguish  them  from  the  vir- 
tues  we  acquire. 

107  Q.  What  is  faith? 

A.  Faith  is  a  divine  virtue  by  which  we   firmly  be- 
lieve the  truths  which  God  has  revealed. 

"  A  divine  virtue"  is  one  that  is  heavenly  or  holy.  Faith 
is  the  habit  of  always  believing  all  that  God  has  revealed  and 
the  Church  teaches.  "Firmly,"  that  is,  without  the  slightest 
doubt.  "  Revealed,"  that  is,  made  known  to  us.  Revelation 
is  the  collection  of  all  the  truths  that  God  has  made  known  to 
us.  But  why  do  we  believe  ?  Because  we  clearly  see  and 
know  the  truth  of  what  is  revealed  ?  No,  but  because  God 
reveals  it;  we  believe  it  though  we  cannot  see  it  or  even 
understand  it.  If  we  see  it  plainly,  then  we  believe  it  rather 
because  we  see  it  than  because  God  makes  it  known  to  us. 
Suppose  a  friend  should  come  and  tell  you  the  church  is  on 
fire.  If  he  never  told  you  lies,  and  had  no  reason  for  telling 
you  any  now,  you  would  believe  him — not  because  you  know  of 
the  fire,  but  because  he  tells  you ;  but  afterwards,  when  you  see 
the  church  or  read  of  the  fire  in  the  papers,  you  have  proof  of 
what  he  told  you,  but  you  believed  it  just  as  firmly  when  he 
told,  you  as  you  do  afterwards.     In  the  same  way  God  tells  us 


120  On  the  Effects  of  the  Redemption. 

His  great  truths  and  we  believe  them;  because  we  know  thai 
since  God  is  infinitely  true  He  cannot  deceive  us  or  be 
deceived.  But  if  afterwards  by  studying  and  thinking  we  find 
proof  that  God  told  us  the  truth,  we  do  not  believe  with  any 
greater  faith,  for  we  always  believed  without  doubting,  and 
we  study  chiefly  that  we  may  have  arguments  to  prove  the 
truth  of  God's  revelations  to  others  who  do  not  believe.  Sup- 
pose some  person  was  present  when  your  friend  came  and  said 
the  church  is  burning,  and  that  that  person  would  not  believe 
your  friend.  What  would  you  do  ?  Why,  convince  him  that 
what  your  friend  said  was  true  by  showing  him  the  account 
of  the  fire  in  the  papers.  Thus  learning  does  not  change  our 
faith,  which,  as  I  have  said,  is  not  acquired  by  study,  but  is 
infused  into  our  souls  by  God.  The  little  boy  who  hears  what 
God  taught,  and  believes  it  firmly  because  God  taught  it,  has 
as  good  a  faith  as  his  teacher  who  has  studied  all  the  reasons 
why  he  should  believe. 

108  Q.  What  is  hope? 

A.  Hope  is  a  divine  virtue  by  which  we  firmly  trust 
that  God  will  give  us  eternal  life  and  the  means  to  ob- 
tain it. 

"Eternal*' — that  is,  everlasting  life — life  without  end. 
"  Means  " — that  is.  His  grace,  because  without  God's  grace  we 
cannot  do  any  supernatural  thing. 

109  Q.  What  is  charity? 

A.  Charity  is  a  divine  virtue  by  which  we  love  God 
above  all  things  for  His  own  sake,  and  our  neighbor  as 
ourselves  for  the  love  of  God. 

The  virtue  of  charity  makes  us  "  love  God,"  because  He 
is  so  good  and  beautiful,  wise  and  powerful  in  Himself; 
therefore  for  His  own  sake  and  without  any  other  considera- 
tion. "Above  all  things,"  in  such  a  way  that  we  would  rather 
lose  anything  than  offend  Him.  But  some  one  may  say,  he 
thinks  he  loves  his  parents  more  than  God.  AVell,  let  us  see. 
To  repeat  an   example  already  given,  suppose  his  parents 


On  the  Effects  of  the  Bedemption.  121 

told  him  to  steal,  and  he  knew  stealiug  to  be  a  sin  ;  if  he 
would  not  steal,  that  would  show,  would  it  not,  that  he  loved 
God  more  than  his  parents,  for  he  would  rather  offend  his 
parents  than  God.  That  is  the  kind  of  love  we  must  have 
for  God  ;  not  mere  feeling,  but  the  firm  belief  that  God  is  the 
best  of  all,  and  when  we  have  to  choose  between  offending 
God  and  losing  something,  be  it  goods  or  friends,  we  would 
rather  lose  anything  than  offend  God, 

"  Neighbor/'  Not  merely  the  person  living  near  us,  but  all 
men  of  every  kind  and  nation — even  our  enemies.  The  peo- 
ple who  lived  at  the  time  of  Our  Lord  in  His  country  used  to 
dispute  about  just  what  persons  were  to  be  considered  their 
neighbors  ;  so  one  day  they  asked  Our  Lord,  and  He  answered 
them  by  telling  them  the  following.  Said  He  (Luke  x.  30) :  "A 
man  was  once  going  down  from  Jerusjilem,.and  on  the  way 
robbers  beat  him,  robbed  him,  and  left  him  on  the  wayside  dy- 
ing. First  one  man  came  by,  looked  at  the  wounded  man, 
and  passed  on;  then  another  came  and  did  the  same  ;  finally 
a  third  man  came,  who  was  of  a  different  religion  and  nation- 
ality from  the  wounded  man.  But  he  did  not  consider  these 
things.  He  dressed  the  poor  man's  wounds,  placed  him  upon 
his  horse  and  brought  him  to  an  inn  or  hotel,  and  paid  the 
innkeeper  to  take  care  of  him.  Now,"  said  Our  Lord,"  which 
of  these  three  was  neighbor  to  the  wounded  man  ?  "  And  they 
answered  rightly,  "  The  man  that  helped  him."  Our  Lord,  by 
this  example,  wished  to  teach  them  and  us  that  everybody  is 
our  neighbor  who  is  in  distress  of  any  kind  and  needs  our  help. 
Neighbor,  therefore,  means  every  human  being,  no  matter 
where  he  lives  or  what  his  color,  learning,  manners,  etc.,  for 
every  human  being  in  the  world  is  a  child  of  God  and  has 
been  redeemed  by  Our  Lord.  Therefore  every  child  of  God 
is  my  neighbor,  and  even  more — he  is  my  brother;  for  God  is 
his  father  and  mine  also,  and  if  he  is  good  enough  for  God  to 
love,  he  should  be  good  enough  for  me. 

"  As  ourselves."  Not  with  as  much  love,  but  with  the  same 
kind  of  love  ;  that  is,  we  are  to  follow  the  rule  laid  down  by 
Our  Lord:  "Do  unto  others  as  you  would  have  others  do 


122  On  the  Effects  of  the  Eedemption. 

unto  you."  Never  do  to  any  one  what  you  would  not  like  t« 
have  done  to  yourself;  and  always  do  for  another  just  what 
you  would  wish  another  to  do  for  you,  if  you  were  in  the  same 
position.  Our  neighbor  is  our  equal  and  gifted  with  all  Hie 
gifts  that  we  ourselves  have.  When  we  come  into  the  world 
we  are  all  equal.  We  have  a  body  and  a  soul,  with  the  power 
to  develop  them.  Money,  learning,  wealth,  fame,  and  all 
else  that  makes  up  the  difference  between  men  in  the  world 
are  acquired  in  the  world ;  and  when  men  die,  they  go  out  of 
the  world  without  any  of  these  things,  just  as  they  came  into 
it.  The  real  difference  between  them  in  the  next  world  will 
depend  upon  the  things  they  have  done,  good  or  bad,  while 
here.  AVe  should  love  our  neighbor  also  on  another  account; 
namely,  that  he  is  one  day  to  be  in  heaven  with  us;  and  if  he 
is  to  be  with  usior  all  eternity,  why  should  we  hate  him  now  ? 
On  the  other  hand,  if  our  neighbor  is  to  be  in  hell  on  account 
of  his  bad  life,  why  should  we  hate  him  ?  We  should  rathei 
pity  him,  for  he  will  have  enough  to  suffer  without  our 
hatred. 

110  Q.  What  is  a<;tual  grace  ? 

A.  Actual  grace  is  that  help  of  God  which  enlightens 
OUT  mind  and  moves  onx  •will  to  shun  evil  and  do  good. 

"ActuaL"  Sanctifying  grace  continues  with  us,  but  when 
grace  is  given  just  so  that  we  may  do  a  good  act  or  avoid  a 
bad  one,  it  is  called  actual  grace.  Suppose,  for  example,  I 
see  a  poor  man  and  am  able  to  aid  him.  When  my  conscience 
tells  me  to  give  him  assistance,  I  am  just  then  receiving  an 
actual  grace,  which  moves  me  and  helps  me  to  do  that  good 
act;  and  just  as  soon  as  I  give  the  help,  the  actual  grace 
ceases,  because  no  longer  needed.  It  was  given  for  that  one 
good  act,  and  now  that  the  act  is  done,  the  actual  grace  has 
produced  its  effect.  Again,  a  boy  is  going  to  Mass  on  Sunday 
and  meets  other  boys  who  try  to  persuade  him  to  remain  away 
from  Mass  and  go  to  some  other  place.  When  he  hears  his 
conscience  telling  him  to  go  to  Mass  by  all  means,  he  is  re- 
ceiving just  then  an  actual  grace  to  avoid  the  mortal  sin  of 


On  the  Effects  of  the  Redemption.  123 

missing  Mass,  and  the  grace  lasts  Just  as  long  as  the  tempta- 
tion. Sacramental  grace  is  sanctifying  grace — given  in  the 
sacraments — which  contains  for  us  a  right  to  actual  graces 
when  we  need  them.  These  actual  graces  are  given  to  help 
us  to  fulfil  the  end  for  which  each  of  the  sacraments  was  in- 
stituted. They  are  different  for  each  sacrament,  and  are 
given  just  when  we  need  them  ;  that  is,  just  when  we  are 
tempted  against  the  object  or  end  for  which  the  sacrament 
was  instituted. 

*  1 1 1  Q.  Is  grace  necessary  for  salvation  ? 

A.  Grace  is  necessary  for  salvation,  because  without 
grace  we  can  do  nothing  to  merit  heaven. 

*  112  Q.  Can  we  resist  the  grace  of  God? 

A.  We  can  and  unfortunately  often  do  resist  the  grace 
of  God. 

Grace  is  a  gift,  and  no  one  is  obliged  to  take  a  gift;  but  if 
God  offers  a  gift  and  we  refuse  to  take  it,  we  offend  and  in- 
sult Him.  To  insult  God  is  to  sin.  Therefore  to  refuse  to 
accept,  or  to  make  bad  use  of  the  grace  God  gives  us,  is  to  sin. 

*  113  Q.  What  is  the  grace  of  perseverance? 

A.  The  grace  of  perseverance  is  a  particular  gift  of 
God  which  enables  us  to  continue  in  the  state  of  grace 
till  death. 

"Perseverance*'  here  does  not  mean  perseverance  in 
our  undertakings,  but  perseverance  in  grace — never  in 
mortal  sin,  always  a  friend  of  God.  Now,  if  God  keeps 
us  from  all  sin  till  the  day  of  our  death  and  takes  us 
while  we  are  His  friends,  then  He  gives  us  what  we  call  the 
gift  of  final  perseverance.  We  cannot,  strictly  speaking,  merit 
this  great  grace,  but  only  pray  for  it ;  so  any  one  who  com- 
mits mortal  sin  may  be  taken  just  in  that  state  and  be  lost 
for  all  eternitv. 


124  On  the  Church, 


LESSON  ELEVENTH. 

ON  THE  CHURCH. 

Before  speaking  of  the  Church  I  wish  to  give  you  a  short 
account  of  the  true  religion  before  the  coming  of  Our  Lord. 
When  Adam  was  created  in  a  state  of  grace,  God  communi- 
cated with  him  freely  ;  he  knew  God  even  better  than  we  do 
now.  But  after  their  sin  our  first  parents  fell  from  the  friend- 
ship of  God.  Cain — one  of  Adam's  sons — murdered  his 
brother  Abel,  and  for  this  he  and  his  posterity  were  cursed  by 
God,  and  all  his  descendants  became  very  wicked  (Gen.  iv. 
11).  The  other  children  of  Adam  remained  faithful  to  God 
as  long  as  they  kept  away  from  the  children  of  Cain;  but 
just  as  soon  as  they  associated  and  intermarried  with  them, 
they  also  became  wicked.  This  should  teach  us  to  avoid  evil 
company,  for  there  is  always  more  likelihood  that  the  good 
will  become  bad  than  that  the  bad  will  be  converted  by  the 
good.  You  know  the  old  saying,  that  if  you  take  a  basket  of 
good  apples  and  place  a  bad  one  among  them,  in  a  short  time 
they  will  all  be  spoiled. 

After  the  deluge  Noe  and  his  family  settled  once  more 
upon  the  land,  and  for  a  time  their  descendants  remained 
faithful  to  God;  but  later  they  became  wicked  and  undertook 
to  build  a  great  tower  (Gen.  xi.),  which  they  thought  would 
reach  up  to  heaven.  They  believed,  perhaps,  that  if  ever 
there  should  be  another  deluge  upon  the  earth,  they  could 
take  refuge  in  the  tower.  But  God  was  displeased  with  their 
conduct  and  prevented  them  from  completing  the  tower  by 
confusing  their  tongues  or  language  so  that  they  could  not 
understand  one  another.    Then  those  who  spoke  the  same 


On  the  Church  125 

languagw  went  to  live  in  the  same  part  of  the  country,  and 
thus  the  human  race  was  scattered  over  the  eartli,  and  the 
different  nations  had  different  languages. 

After  a  time  they  were  all  losing  the  knowledge  of  the 
true  God  and  beginning  to  worship  idols.  God  did  not  wish 
that  the  whole  human  race  should  forget  Him,  so  He  selected 
Abraham  to  be  the  father  and  head  of  one  chosen  people  who 
should  always  worship  the  true  God.  He  sent  Abraham  from 
his  own  country  into  another,  and  promised  him  great  things, 
and  renewed  to  him  the  promises  of  the  Redeemer  first  made 
to  Adam  and  Eve.  After  the  death  of  Abraham,  God  raised 
up,  from  time  to  time,  prophets  to  tell  the  people  His  holy 
will,  to  warn  them  of  their  sins  and  the  punishment  they 
would  receive,  and  to  remind  them  of  the  promised  Messias. 
Prophets  are  men  that  God  inspires  to  tell  the  future.  They 
tell  what  will  happen  often  hundreds  of  years  after  their  own 
death.  They  do  not  guess  at  these  things,  but  tell  them 
with  certainty.  At  times,  statesmen  can  foresee  that  there 
will  be  a  war  in  a  country  ut  a  certain  time;  but  they  are  not 
prophets,  because  they  only  guess  at  such  things,  or  know 
them  by  natural  signs;  and  very  often  things  thus  foretold 
do  not  occur.  True  prophecy  is  the  foretelling  of  something 
which  could  not  be  known  by  any  means  but  inspiration  from 
God. 

Neither  are  persons  who  call  themselves  fortune-tellers 
prophets,  but  only  sinful  people,  who  for  money  tell  lies  or 
guess  at  the  future.  It  is  a  great  sin  to  go  to  them  or  listen 
to  them,  as  we  shall  see  later  in  another  question. 

At  the  tinl^romised,  God  sent  His  Son — Our  Lord — to 
" redeem  tlie  wona  and  save  all  men.  He  came  to  save  all  men, 
and  yet  He  remained  upon  earth  only  thirty-three  years.  We 
can  easily  understand  that  by  His  death  He  could  save  all 
those  who  lived  before  He  did  ;  but  how  were  they  to  be 
saved  who  should  live  after  Him,  down  to  the  end  of  the 
world  ?  How  was  His  grace  to  be  given  to  them?  How  were 
they  to  know  of  Him,  or  of  what  He  taught  ?  All  this  was 
to  be  accomplished  by  His  Church, 


126  On  the  Church. 

114  Q.  Which  are  the  means  instituted  by  Our  Lord 
to  enable  men  at  all  times  to  share  in  the  fruits  of  the 
Bedemption? 

A.  The  means  instituted  by  Our  Lord  to  enable  men 
at  all  times  to  share  in  the  fruits  of  the  Bedemption  are 
the  Church  and  the  sacraments. 

Our  Lord  instituted  the  Church  to  curry  on  the  work  He 
Himself  was  doing  upon  the  earth — teaching  the  ignorant, 
visiting  the  sick,  helping  the  poor,  forgiving  sins,  etc.  He 
commanded  all  men  to  hear  the  Chui'ch  teaching,  just  as  they 
would  hear  Himself.  But  suppose  some  persons  should  es- 
tablish a  false  Church  and  claim  that  it  was  the  true  Church 
of  Our  Lord,  how  could  people  know  the  true  Church  from 
false  churches  ?  When  a  man  invents  anything  to  be  sold, 
what  does  he  do  that  people  may  know  the  true  article — say 
a  pen  ?  Why,  he  puts  his  trade-mark  upon  it.  Now  the  trade- 
mark is  a  certain  sign  which  shows  that  the  article  bearing  it  is 
the  genuine  article ;  and  if  others  use  the  trade-mark  on  imi- 
tation articles,  they  are  liable  to  be  punished  by  law.  Now 
Our  Lord  did  the  same.  He  gave  His  Church  four  marks  or 
characteristics  to  distinguish  it  from  all  false  churches.  He 
said,  "My  Church  will  be  one;  it  will  be  holy;  it  will  be 
catholic ;  it  will  be  apostolic ;  and  if  any  church  has  not 
these  four  marks,  you  may  be  sure  it  is  not  My  Church." 
Some  false  church  may  seem  to  have  one  or  two,  but  never 
all  the  marks  ;  so  when  you  find  even  one  of  the  marks 
wanting,  you  will  know  it  is  not  the  true  Church  established 
by  Christ.  Therefore,  all  the  religious  that  claim  to  be  the 
true  religion  cannot  be  so.  If  one  man  says  %  thing  is  white 
and  another  says  it  is  black,  or  if  one  says  a'roing  is  true  and 
another  says  it  is  false,  they  cannot  both  be  right.  Only  one 
tfan  be  right,  and  if  we  wish  to  know  the  truth  we  have  to 
find  out  which  one  it  is.  So  when  one  religion  says  a  thing 
is  true  and  another  religion  says  the  same  thing  is  false,  one 
of  them  must  be  wrong,  and  it  is  our  duty  to  find  out  the  one 
that  is  right.  Therefore,  of  all  the  religions  claiming  to  be 
t3r«  txne  religion  of  Our  Lord,  only  onp.  cnw  be  telling  the 


On  the  Church.  127 

truth,  and  that  one  is  the  religion  or  Church  that  can  show 
the  four  given  marks.  The  Roman  Catholic  Church  is  the 
only  one  that  can  show  these  marks,  and  is,  therefore,  the 
only  true  Church,  as  we  shall  see  in  the  next  lesson. 

"  Fruits  of  His  redemption  " — that  is,  to  receive  the  grace 
merited  by  Our  Lord  when  He  redeemed  us  by  His  death. 

115  Q.  What  is  the  Church? 

A.  The  Church  is  the  congregation  of  all  those  who 
profess  the  faith  of  Christ,  partake  of  the  same  sacra- 
ments, and  are  governed  toy  their  lawful  pastors  under 
one  visible  head. 

"  Congregation. '^  Not  the  building,  therefore;  because  if 
Mass  was  offered  up  in  an  open  field,  with  the  people  kneelr 
iug  about,  it  would  still  be  the  church  of  that  place.  The 
buildings  that  we  use  for  churches  might  have  been  used  for 
anything  else — a  public  hall,  theatre,  or  school,  for  example; 
but  when  these  buildings  we  call  churches  are  blessed  or 
consecrated,  they  become  holy.  They  are  holy  also  because 
the  gospel  is  preached  in  them,  the  sacraments  are  adminis- 
tered in  them,  and  the  Holy  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass  is  offered 
in  them.  But  they  are  holy  especially  because  Our  Lord 
dwells  in  them  in  the  tabernacle,  where  He  lives  and  sees  and 
hears  just  as  truly  as  He  did  when  He  was  Man  upon  earth. 

In  the  early  ages  the  Christians  had  no  churches — they 
met  secretly  in  private  houses.  Later,  when  the  cruel  pagan 
emperors  began  to  persecute  and  put  to  death  the  Christians, 
they  made  large  tunnels  under  ground  and  in  these  places 
they  heard  Mass  and  received  the  Sacraments.  These  under- 
ground churches  were  called  the  catacombs,  and  some  of  them 
may  still  be  seen  at  Rome.  In  these  catacombs,  too,  the 
Christians  buried  their  dead,  especially  the  bodies  of  the 
holy  martyrs.  On  their  tombs — generally  of  stone — Mass 
was  celebrated. 

In  every  altar  the  table,  or  flat  part  on  which  the  priest 
celebrates  Mass,  should  be  of  stone;  but  if  the  altar  is  made 
of  wood,  then  flt  least  the  nart  lus^  in  front  of  the  tabernacle 


128  On  tlvt  Church. 

must  be  of  stone  and  large  enough  to  bold  say  two  chalices — 
that  is,  about  ten  or  twelve  inches  square.  In  this  stone  are 
placed  some  relics  of  the  holy  martyrs.  A  piece  is  cut  out  of 
the  stone  and  the  relic  placed  in  the  opening.  Then  the 
bishop  puts  the  little  piece  of  stone  back  into  its  place  over 
the  relic,  seals  the  opening,  blesses  the  stone,  and  gives  it  to 
the  church.  This  is  called  the  altar-stone.  You  cannot  see 
it  because  it  is  covered  with  the  altar-cloth;  but  unless  it  is 
in  the  altar  the  priest  cannot  say  Mass.  This  stone  reminds 
us  of  the  stone  tombs  of  the  saints  upon  which  Mass  was  cele- 
brated. 

The  Church — that  is,  the  Christians — was  persecuted  for 
about  three  hundred  years  after  the  death  of  Our  Lord. 
These  persecutions  took  place  at  ten  different  times  and 
under  different  Roman  emperors.  Orders  were  given  to  put 
to  death  all  the  Christians  wherever  they  could  be  found. 
Some  were  cast  into  prison,  some  exiled,  some  taken  to  the 
Roman  Coliseum — an  immense  building  constructed  for  pub- 
lic amusements — where  they  were  put  to  death  in  the  most 
terrible  manner  in  the  presence  of  the  emperor  and  people 
assembled,  to  witness  these  fearful  scones.  Some  were  stripped 
of  their  clothing  and  left  standing  alone  while  savage  beasts, 
wild  with  hunger,  were  let  loose  upon  them.  Sometimes  by  a 
miracle  of  God  the  animals  would  not  harm  them,  and  then 
the  Christians  were  either  put  to  death  by  the  sword,  mangled 
by  some  terrible  machine,  or  burned.  In  these  dreadful 
sufferings  the  Christians  remained  faithful  and  firm,  though 
they  could  have  saved  their  lives  by  denying  Our  Lord  or 
offering  sacrifice  to  idols.  The  few  who  through  fear  did 
deny  their  faith  are  now  forgotten  and  unknown;  while 
those  who  remained  steadfast  are  honored  as  saints  in  heaven 
and  upon  earth;  the  Church  sings  their  praises  and  tells 
every  year  of  their  holy  lives  and  triumph  over  all  their 
enemies. 

Even  some  pagans  who  came  to  see  the  Christians  put  to 
death  were  so  touched  by  their  patience,  fortitude,  courage. 


On  the  Church,  129 

and  constancy,  that  they  also  declared  themselves  anxious  to 
become  Christians,  and  were  put  to  death,  thus  becoming  mar- 
tyrs baptized  in  their  own  blood.  How  many  lessons  we  may 
learn  from  all  this:  (1)  How  very  respectful  we  should  be  in 
the  church,  which  is  holy  for  all  the  reasons  I  have  given. 
(2)  What  a  shame  it  is  for  us  not  to  hear  Mass  when  we  can 
do  so  easily.  Our  churches  are  never  very  far  from  us,  and 
generally  well  lighted,  ventilated,  furnished  with  seats  and 
every  convenience,  and  in  these  respects  unlike  the  dark, 
damp,  underground  churches  of  the  early  Christians.  More- 
over, we  may  attend  our  churches  freely  and  without  the  least 
danger  to  our  lives;  while,  the  Christians  of  the  early  ages 
were  constantly  in  dread  and  danger  of  being  seized  and  put 
to  death.  Even  at  the  present  day,  in  many  counti-ies  where 
holy  missionaries  are  trying  to  teach  the  true  religion,  their 
converts  sometimes  have  to  go  great  distances  to  hear  Mass, 
and  even  then  it  is  not  celebrated  in  comfortable  churches, 
but  probably  on  the  slope  of  a  rugged  mountain  or  in  some 
lonely  valley  or  wood  where  they  may  not  be  seen,  for  they 
fear  if  they  are  captured — as  often  happens — both  they  and 
their  priest  will  be  put  to  death.  You  can  read  in  the  account 
of  foreign  missions  that  almost  every  year  some  priests  aud 
many  people  are  martyred  for  their  faith.  Is  it  not  disgrace- 
ful, then,  to  see  some  Catholics  giving  up  their  holy  faith  and 
the  practice  of  their  religion  so  easily — sometimes  for  a  little 
money,  property,  or  gain;' or  even  for  a  bad  habit,  or  for 
irreligious  companions  and  friends  ?  What  answer  will  they 
make  on  the  day  of  judgment  when  they  stand  side  by  side 
with  those  who  died  for  the  '"aitli  ? 

*'  All  those  who  profess  the  faith,"  etc.  The  pope,  bishops, 
priests,  and  people  all  taken  together  are  the  Church,  and 
each  congregation  or  parish  is  only  a  part  of  the  Church. 

"Partake" — that  is,  receive.  " Lawful  pastors" — that  is, 
each  priest  in  his  own  parish,  each  bishop  in  his  own  diocese, 
aud  the  pope  throughout  the  world.  "  Visible  head  " — that  is, 
one  who  can  be  seen,  for  invisible  means,  cannot  bo  seen. 


130  On  the  Church. 

116  Q.  "Who  is  the  invisible  head  of  the  Church? 
A.  Jesus  Christ  is  the  invisible  head  of  the  Church. 

**  Invisible  head/'  If,  for  example,  a  merchant  of  one 
country  wishes  to  establish  a  branch  of  his  business  in  another, 
he  remains  in  the  new  country  long  enough  to  establish  the 
branch  business,  and  then  appointing  some  one  to  take  his 
place,  returns  to  his  own  country.  He  is  still  the  head  of  the 
new  establishment,  but  its  invisible  head  for  the  people  of 
that  country,  while  its  visible  head  is  the  agent  or  i-epresenta- 
tive  he  has  placed  in  charge  to  carry  on  the  business  in  his 
name  and  interest.  When  Our  Lord  wished  to  establish  His 
Church  He  came  from  heaven;  and  when  about  to  return  to 
heaven  appointed  St.  Peter  to  take  His  place  upon  earth  and 
rule  the  Church  as  directed.  You  see,  therefore,  that  Our 
Lord,  though  not  on  earth,  is  still  the  real  head  and  owner  of 
the  Church,  and  whatever  His  agent  or  vicar — that  is,  our 
Holy  Father,  the  pope — does  in  the  Church,  he  does  it  with 
the  authority  of  Our  Lord  Himself. 

117  Q.  Who  is  the  visible  head  of  the  Church? 

A.  Our  Holy  Father  the  Pope,  the  Bishop  of  Rome,  is 
the  vicar  of  Christ  on  earth  and  the  visible  head  of  the 
Church. 

The  "  Bishop  of  Rome  "  is  always  pope.  If  the  Bishop  of 
New  York,  or  of  Baltimore,  or  of  Boston,  became  pope,  he 
would  become  the  Bishop  of  Rome  and  cease  to  be  the  Bishop 
of  New  York,  Baltimore,  or  Boston,  because  St.  Peter,  the  first 
pope,  was  Bishop  of  Eome;  and  therefore  only  the  bishops 
of  Rome  are  his  lawful  successors— the  true  popes — the  true 
visible  heads  of  the  Church.  The  bishops  of  the  other  dio- 
ceses of  the  world  are  the  lawful  successors  of  the  other  apostles 
who  taught  and  established  churches  throughout  the  world. 
The  bishops  of  the  world  are  subject  to  the  Pope,  Just  as  the 
other  apostles  were  subject  to  St.  Peter,  who  was  appointed 
their  chief  by  Our  Lord  Himself. 

"  Vicar  " — that  is,  one  who  holds  another's  place  and  acts 
in  his  name. 


"On  the  Church.  131 

•  118  Q.  Why  If  the  Pope,  the  Bishop  of  Borne,  the 
visible  head  of  the  Church  ? 

A.  The  Pope,  the  Bishop  of  Borne,  is  the  visible 
head  of  the  Church  because  he  is  the  successor  of  St. 
Peter,  whom  Christ  made  the  chief  of  the  apostles  and 
the  visible  head  of  the  Church. 

**  Of  Rome.*  That  is  why  we  are  called  Roman  Catholics; 
l\o  show  that  we  are  united  to  the  real  successor  of  St.  Peter, 
Und  are  therefore  members  of  the  true  apostolic  Church. 

•  119  Q.  Who  are  the  successors  of  the  other  apostles? 
A.  The    successors    of    the    other    apostles    are  the 

bishops  of  the  holy  Catholic  Chujch. 

We  know  tho  apostlos  were  bishops,  because  they  could 
make  laws  for  tho  Church,  consecrate  other  bishops,  ordain 
priests,  and  give  confirmation, — powers  that  belong  only  to 
bisliops,  and  are  still  exercised  by  them. 

*  120  Q.  Why  did  Christ  found  the  Church? 

A.  Christ  founded  the  Church  to  teach,  govern, 
sanctify,  and  save  all  men. 

** Teach "  religion.  ''Govern'*  in  things  that  regard  sal- 
vation. "  Sanctify/'  make  good.  "  Save  "  all  who  wish  to 
be  saved. 

*  121  Q.  Are  all  bound  to  belong  to  the  Church  ? 

A.  All  are  bound  to  belong  to  the  Church,  and  he 
who  knows  the  Church  to  bo  the  true  Church  and  ro^ 
mains  out  of  it,  cannot  be  saved. 

Any  one  who  knows  the  Catholic  religion  to  be  the  irug 
religion  and  will  not  embrace  it  cannot  enter  into  heaven. 
If  one  not  a  Catholic  doubts  whether  the  chnrch  to  which  ho 
belongs  is  the  true  Church,  he  must  settle  his  doubt,  seek  tho 
true  Church,  and  enter  it;  for  if  he  continues  to  live  in  doubt, 
he  becomes  like  the  one  who  knows  the  true  Chnrch  and  is  do 
tarred  by  worldly  considerations  from  entering  it 


132  On  the  Church, 

In  like  manner  one  who,  doubting,  fears  to  examine  th€ 
religion  he  professes  lest  he  should  discover  its  fiUsity  and  be 
ionvinced  of  the  truth  of  the  Catholic  faith,  cannot  be  saved. 

Suppose,  however,  that  there  is  a  non-Catholic  who  firmly 
believes  that  the  church  to  which  he  belongs  is  the  true 
Church,  and  who  has  never — even  in  the  past — had  the  slight 
est  doubt  of  that  fact, — what  will  become  of  him  ? 

If  he  was  validly  baptized  and  never  committed  a  mortal 
sin,  he  will  be  saved;  because,  believing  himself  a  member  of 
the  true  Church,  he  was  doing  all  he  could  to  serve  God  ac- 
cording to  his  knowledge  and  the  dictates  of  his  conscience. 
But  if  ever  he  committed  a  mortal  sin,  his  salvation  would  bo 
very  much  more  difficult.  A  mortal  sin  once  committed  re- 
mains on  the  soul  till  it  is  forgiven.  Now,  how  could  his 
mortal  sin  be  forgiven  ?  Not  in  the  Sacrament  of  Penance, 
for  the  Protestant  does  not  go  to  confession;  and  if  he  does, 
his  minister — not  being  a  true  priest — has  no  power  to  forgive 
sins.  Docs  he  know  that  without  confession  it  requires  an 
act  of  truly  perfect  contrition  to  blot  out  sin,  and  can  he 
easily  make  such  an  act  ?  What  w?  call  contrition  is  generally 
only  imperfect  contrition — that  is,  sorrow  for  our  sins  because 
we  fear  their  punishment  in  hell  or  dread  the  loss  of  heaven. 
If  a  Catholic,  with  all  the  graces  he  has  received  in  the  sacra^ 
ments,  finds  it  difficult  to  make  an  act  of  perfect  contrition — 
that  is,  sorrow  for  sin  out  of  pure  love  for  God,  Who  is  so  good 
in  Himself,  how  much  more  difficulty  will  the  Protestant, 
nrho  does  not  receive  such  graces,  experience  in  making  it  ? 
It  is  to  be  feared  either  he  would  not  know  of  this  necessary 
means  of  regaining  God's  friendship,  or  he  would  be  unable  to 
elicit  the  necessary  act  of  perfect  contrition,  and  thus  the 
mo-tal  sin  would  remain  upon  his  soul  and  ho  would  dif  %a 
enrmiy  of  God. 

If,  then,  we  found  a  Protestant  who  never  committed  a 
mortal  sin  after  baptism,  and  who  never  had  the  slightest 
doubt  about  the  truth  of  his  religion,  that  person  would  be 
saved;  because,  being  baptized, he  is  a  member  of  the  Church, 
and  being  free  from  mortal  sio  he  is  a  friend  of  God  an<l 


On  the  Churck  188 

«)Otild  not  in  justice  be  condemned  to  hell.  Such  a  person 
belongs  to  what  we  call  the  soul  of  the  Church,  He  would 
belong  to  the  body  of  the  Church — that  is,  he  would  attend 
Mass  and  receive  the  sacraments — if  he  knew  the  Catholic 
Church  to  be  the  onl}  true  Church. 

I  am  giving  you  an  example,  however,  that  is  rarely  found, 
>s3ept  in  the  case  of  infan  s  or  very  small  children  baptized 
'n  Protestant  sects.  All  infants  rightly  baptized  by  any  one 
^re  really  children  of  the  Church,  no  matter  what  religion  their 
parents  may  profess.  Indeed,  all  persons  who  are  baptized 
are  children  of  the  Church;  but  those  among  them  who  deny 
its  teaching,  reject  its  sacraments,  and  refuse  to  submit  to 
its  lawful  pastors,     e  rebellious  children  known  as  heretics. 

I  said  I  gave  you  an  example  that  can  scarcely  be  found, 
namely,  of  a  person  not  a  Catholic,  who  really  never  doubted 
the  truth  of  his  religion,  and  who,  moreover,  never  committed 
during  his  whole  life  a  singl  mortal  sin.  There  are  so  few 
such  persons  that  we  can  practically  say  for  all  those  who  are 
not  members  of  the  body  of  the  Catholic  Church,  believing 
its  doctrines,  receiving  its  sacraments,  and  being  governed 
by  its  visible  head,  our  Holy  Father,  the  Pope,  salvation  is 
un  extremely  difficult  matter. 

1  do  not  speak  here  of  pagans  who  have  never  heard  of 
Our  Lord  or  His  holy  religion,  but  of  those  outside  the  Church 
"vho  claim  to  be  good  Christians  without  being  membere  of  the 
Oatholii  Churcbo  . 


13i        0%  the  Attributes  aaid  Murkb  qf  th»  Chardu 


LESSON  TWELFTH. 

JN  THE  ATTRIBUTES  AND  MARKS  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

Ajt  Jiitribute  is  any  characteristic  or  quality  that  a  persoii 
W  jhmg  may  be  said  to  have.  All  good  qualities  are  good  at' 
tributes^  and  all  bad  qualities  are  bad  attributes.  All  perfec* 
tions  or  imperfections  are  attributes.  If  I  can  say  of  you 
that  you  are  good,  then  goodness  is  on  of  your  attributes. 
If  I  can  say  you  art,  beautiful,  then  beauty  is  one  of  your  at- 
tributes. We  have  ween  already  tha*^^  the  Church  has  four 
marks;  but  besides  ihese  it  has  thre-"  attributes,  which  flow 
from  its  marks.  It  is  ea^le/  to  see  the  marks  of  the  Church 
than  its  attributes.  I^  is  easior  to  see,  for  instance,  that  the 
Church  is  ono  than  that  it  i«J  indefectible. 

•  122  Q.  Which  are  the  xttributes  of  the  Church? 

A.  The  attributes  of  the  Chityeli  a/e  three :  authorityj 
infallibility,  and  indefectibility. 

•  123  Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  the  authority  of  tha 
Church  ? 

A.  By  the  authority  of  the  Church  I  mean  the  right 
and  power  which  the  Pope  and  the  bishops,  as  the  suc- 
cessors of  the  apostles,  have  to  teach  and  govern  tho 
feithful. 

Authority  is  the  power  which  one  person  Iiao  orer  another, 
so  as  to  be  able  to  exact  obedience.  A  teacher  iias  aathority 
over  his  scholars,  because  they  must  obey  him;  but  the  teacher 
need  not  obey  the  scholars,  because  they  have  no  authority 
over  him.  God  alone  has  authority  of  Himself  and  from 
Himself.  All  others  who  have  authority  receive  it  from  Cod, 
either  directly  or  through  some  one  else.  The  Pope  has  au- 
thority from  God  Himself,  and  the  priests  get  theirs  through 


On  the  Attributes  and  Maries  of  the  Church.        135 

their  bishops.  Therefore,  to  resist  or  disobey  lawful  authority 
3  to  resist  and  disobey  God  Himself.  If  one  of  you  were 
placed  in  charge  of  the  class  in  my  absence,  he  would  have 
lawful  authority,  and  the  rest  of  you  should  obey  him — not 
on  account  of  himself,  but  on  account  of  the  authority  he 
has.  Thus  the  president  of  the  United  States,  the  governor, 
the  mayor,  etc.,  are  only  ordinary  citizens  before  their  eleC' 
tion ;  but  after  they  have  been  elected  and  placed  in  office 
they  exercise  lawful  authority  over  us,  and  we  are  bound  ar 
good  citizens  and  as  good  Catholics  to  respect  and  obey  them 

*  124  Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  the  infallibility  of  th« 
Church  ? 

A.  By  the  infallibility  of  the  CJhurch  I  mean  that  thfl 
Church  cannot  err. when  it  teaches  a  doctrine  of  faith  02 
morals. 

"Infallibility."  When  we  say  the  Church  is  infallible,  we 
mean  that  it  cannot  make  a  mistake  or  err  in  what  it  teaches; 
that  the  Pope,  the  head  of  the  Church,  is  infallible  when  he 
teaches  ex  cathedra — that  is,  as  the  successor  of  St.  Peter,  the 
vicar  of  Christ.  Cathedra  signifies  a  seat,  ex  stands  for  "  out 
of  "  ;  therefore,  ex  cathedra  means  out  of  the  chair  or  office 
of  St.  Peter,  because  chair  is  sometimes  used  for  office. 
Thus  we  say  the  presidential  chair  is  opposed  to  this  or  that, 
when  we  intend  to  say  the  president,  or  the  one  in  that  office, 
is  opposed  to  it.  The  cathedral  is  the  church  in  "'hich  the 
bishop  usually  officiates,  so  called  on  account  of  the  bishop's 
cathedra,  or  throne,  being  in  it. 

*  125  Q.  When  does  the  Church  teach  infallibly? 

A.  The  Church  teaches  infallibly  when  it  speaks 
through  the  Pope  and  bishops  united  in  general  council, 
or  through  the  Pope  alone  when  he  proclaim^  to  all  the 
faithful  a  doctrine  of  faith  or  morals. 

But  how  will  we  know  when  the  Pope  speaks  ex  cathedra, 
when  he  is  speaking  daily  to  people  from  all  parts  of  the 
world  ?  To  speak  ex  cathedra  or  infallibly,  three  things  are 
required: 


136         On  the  Attributes  and  Marks  of  the  Church, 

(1)  He  must  speak  as  the  head  of  the  whole  Church,  not  aa 
a  private  person ;  and  in  certain  forms  of  words  by  which  we 
know  he  is  speaking  ex  cathedra. 

(2)  What  he  says  must  hold  good  for  the  whole  Church — 
that  is,  for  all  the  faithful,  and  not  merely  for  this  or  that 
particular  person  er  country. 

(3)  He  must  speak  on  matters  of  faith  or  morals — that  is, 
when  the  Holy  Father  tells  all  the  faithful  that  they  are  to 
believe  a  certain  thing  as  a  part  of  their  faith;  or  when  he 
tells  them  that  certain  things  are  sins,  they  must  believe  him 
and  avoid  what  he  declares  to  be  sin.  He  could  not  make  a 
mistake  in  such  things.  He  could  not  say  that  Our  Lord 
taught  us  to  believe  and  do  such  and  such,  if  Our  Lord  did 
not  so  teach,  because  Our  Lord  promised  to  be  with  Hii 
Church  for  all  time,  and  to  send  the  Holy  Ghost,  Who  would 
teach  it  all  truth  and  abide  with  it  forever.  If  then  the 
Church  could  make  mistakes  in  teaching  faith  and  morals, 
the  Holy  Ghost  could  not  be  with  it,  and  Our  Lord  did  uo^ 
tell  the  trutli — to  say  which  would  be  blasphemy.  But  re« 
member,  the  Pope  is  not  infallible  unless  he  is  teaching  fait! 
or  morals;  that  is,  what  we  have  to  believe  or  do  in  order  tl 
save  our  souls.  If  the  Holy  Father  wrote  a  book  on  astron 
omy,  mathematics,  grammar,  or  even  theology,  he  could  make 
mistakes  as  other  men  do,  because  the  Holy  Ghost  has  not 
promised  to  guide  him  in  such  things.  Nevertheless,  what- 
ever the  Pope  teaches  on  anything  you  may  be  pretty  feure  is 
right.  The  Pope  is  nearly  always  a  very  learned  man  of 
many  years'  experience.  He  has  with  him  at  Rome  learned 
men  from  every  part  of  the  world,  so  that  we  may  say  he  has 
the  experience  of  the  whole  world.  Other  rulers  cannot  and 
need  not  know  as  much  as  the  Holy  Father,  because  they  have 
not  to  govern  the  world,  but  only  their  own  country.  More- 
over, there  is  no  government  in  the  whole  world  as  old  as  the 
Church,  no  nation  that  can  show  as  many  rulers  withouf 
change ;  so  we  may  say  the  Pope  has  also  the  experience  oi 
all  the  popes  who  preceded  him,  from  St.  Peter  dawn  to  om 


On  the  Attributes  and  Marks  of  the  Church.        137 

present  Holy  Father,  Leo  XIII. — two  hundred  and  sixty-three 
popes.  Therefore,  considering  all  this,  we  should  have  the 
very  greatest  respect  for  the  opinions  and  advice  of  the  Holy 
Father  on  any  subject.  We  should  not  set  up  our  limited 
knowledge  and  experience  against  his,  even  if  we  think  that 
we  know  better  than  he  does  about  certain  political  events 
taking  place  in  our  country,  for  we  are  not  sure  that  we  do. 
The  Holy  Father  knows  the  past  history  of  nations;  he 
Knows  the  nature  of  mankind;  he  knows  that  what  takes 
place  in  one  nation  may,  and  sometimes  does,  take  place  in 
pnother  under  the  same  circumstances.  Thus  the  Holy 
Father  has  greater  foresight  than  we  have,  and  we  should  be 
thankful  when  he  warns  us  against  certain  dangers  in  politics 
or  other  things.  He  does  not  teach  politics ;  but  as  every- 
thing we  do  is  either  good  or  bad,  every  statesman  or  politi- 
cian must  consider  whether  what  he  is  about  to  do  be  right 
or  wrong,  just  or  unjust.  It  is  the  business  and  duty  of  the 
Holy  Father  to  declare  against  the  evil  or  unjust  actions  of 
either  individuals  or  nations,  and  for  that  reason  he  seems  at 
times  to  interfere  in  politics  when  he  is  really  teaching  morals^ 
At  times,  too,  governments  try  to  deprive  the  Church  or  the 
Holy  Father  of  their  rights;  and  when  he  defends  himself 
against  such  injustice  and  protests  against  it,  his  enemies  ery 
out  that  he  is  interfering  with  the  government. 

You  understand  now  what  the  infallibility  of  the  Pope 
implies,  and  that  it  does  not  mean,  as  the  enemies  of  the 
Church  sayj  that  the  Pope  cannot  sin,  cannot  be  mistaken  in 
anything.  The  Pope  can  sin  just  the  same  as  any  one  else  ; 
he  could  be  a  very  bad  man  if  he  wanted  to  be  so,  and  take 
the  punishment  God  would  inflict  for  his  sins.  Could  he  not 
be  very  angry,  entirely  neglect  prayer,  or  pray  with  wilful 
distraction  ;  could  he  not  be  proud,  covetous,  etc.? — and  these 
are  sins.  Therefore  he  could  sin ;  and  hence  he  has  to  go  to 
confession  aw^  seek  forgiveness  just  as  we  do.  Therefore 
remember  this:  whethev  the  Pope  be  a  bad  man  or  a  good 
man  in  his  private  life,  he  must  always  tell  the  truth  when 


138         On  the  Attributes  and  Marks  of  the  Church, 

he  speaks  ex  cathedra^  because  the  Holy  Ghost  is  guiding 
him  and  will  not  permit  him  to  err  or  teach  falsehood  in  faith 
or  morals. 

We  have  examples  iu  the  Bible  (Numbers  xxii.,xxiii.)  where 
God  sometimes  makes  eveu  bad  men  foretell  the  truth.  Once 
He  gave  an  ass  the  power  to  speak,  that  it  miglit  protest 
against  the  wrong-doing  of  its  wicked  and  cruel  rider. 

We  have  seen  how  governments  interfere  with  the  rights 
of  the  Holy  Father,  and  thus  he  has  need  of  his  temporal 
power  that  he  may  be  altogether  independent  of  any  govern- 
ment. Now  let  me  explain  to  you  wliat  is  meant  by  the  Tem- 
poral Power  of  the  Pope.  Well,  then,  the  Holy  Father  should 
have  some  city  or  states,  not  belonging  to  any  government, 
in  which  he  would  be  the  chief  and  only  ruler.  Up  to  the 
year  1870  the  Holy  Father  did  have  such  states:  they  were 
called  the  Papal  States,  and  the  power  he  had  over  them — 
just  like  that  of  any  other  ruler — was  called  the  temporal 
power.  Now  how  did  he  get  those  states  and  how  did  he  lose 
them  ?  He  got  them  in  the  most  just  manner,  and  held  pos- 
session of  them  for  about  a  thousand  years. 

Hundreds  of  years  ago  the  people  of  Rome  and  the  sur- 
rounding countries  elected  the  Pope  their  sole  ruler.  He  was 
already  their  spiritual  ruler,  and  they  made  him  also  their 
temporal  ruler.  Then  the  Pope  protected  and  governed 
them  as  other  rulers  do.  Later,  kings  and  princes  added 
other  lands,  and  thus  by  degrees  the  possessions  of  the  Pope 
became  quite  extended. 

How  did  he  lose  these  possessions  ?  The  Italian  Govern- 
ment took  them  from  him  in  tlie  most  unjust  manner.  Be- 
sides the  lands,  they  deprived  the  Church  of  other  property 
donated  to  it  by  its  faithful  children.  No  ruler  in  the 
world  had  a  more  just  claim  or  better  right  to  his  possessions 
than  the  Holy  Father,  and  a  government  robbed  him  of  them 
as  a  thief  might  take  forcibly  from  you  whatever  had  been 
justly  given  to  yon,  when  he  found  you  were  unable  to  defend 
yourself  against  him. 

But  has  the  Holy  Father  need  of  his  temporal  power  ? 


On  the  Attributes  and  Marks  of  the  Church.        139 

Yes,  the  Holy  Father  has  need  of  some  temporal  power.  He 
must  be  free  and  independent  in  governing  the  Church.  He 
must  be  free  to  say  what  he  wishes  to  all  Catholics  through- 
out the  world,  and  free  to  liear  whatever  they  have  to  say  to 
him.  But  if  the  Pope  is  under  another  ruler  he  cannot  be 
free.  That  ruler  may  cast  him  into  prison,  and  not  allow 
him  to  communicate  with  the  bishops  of  the  world.  At 
least,  he  can  say  nothing  about  the  injustice  of  the  ruler  who 
is  over  him.  Therefore  the  Pope  must  have  some  possessions 
of  his  own,  that  he  may  not  be  afraid  of  the  injustice  of  any 
ruler,  and  may  speak  out  the  truth  boldly  to  the  whole  world, 
denouncing  bad  rulers  and  praising  good  ones  as  they  deserve. 
Mind,  I  do  not  say  what  possessions  the  Holy  Father  should 
have,  but  simply  that  he  should  have  some,  in  which  he 
would  be  altogether  independent.  In  justice  he  should  have 
all  that  was  taken  from  him.  We  have  a  good  example  here 
in  the  United  States  to  illustrate  the  need  of  the  independ- 
ence of  the  Pope.  You  know  every  State  in  the  United 
States  is  a  little  government  in  itself,  with  its  own  governor, 
legislature,  laws,  etc.  Now  over  all  these  little  governments 
or  States  we  have  the  government  of  the  United  States,  with 
the  President  at  its  head.  In  the  beginning  the  members  of 
the  United  States  Government  assembled  to  transact  the 
business  of  the  nation  sometimes  in  one  State  and  sometimes 
in  another — sometimes  in  New  York  and  sometimes  in  Penn- 
sylvania, etc.  But  they  soon  found  that  in  order  to  be  in- 
dependent of  every  State  and  just  to  all,  they  must  have  some 
territory  or  possessions  of  their  own  not  under  the  power  of 
any  State.  So  some  of  the  States  granted  them  Washington 
and  the  country  about  it  for  ten  miles  square, — now  called  the 
District  of  Columbia, — in  which  the  United  States  Govern- 
ment could  freely  perform  its  duties.  In  a  similar  manner 
the  Holy  Father  is  over  all  the  governments  of  the  world  in 
matters  of  religion — in  matters  of  justice  and  right;  and  just 
as  the  United  States  Government  has  to  decide  between  the 
rights  of  one  State  and  the  rights  of  another,  so  the  Holy 
Father  has  sometimes  to  decide  hetwe«i>  the  rights  of  one 


140         On  the  Attributes  and  Marks  of  the  Church. 

government  and  the  rights  of  another,  and  must,  in  order  t<» 
be  just  with  all,  be  free  and  independent  of  all. 

Again,  the  temporal  power  of  the  Pope  is  very  useful  to 
the  Church;  for  with  the  money  and  goods  received  from  hia 
possessions  the  Holy  Father  can  educate  priests  and  teachers, 
print  books,  etc.,  for  the  foreign  missions.  He  can  also  sup 
port  churches,  schools,  and  institutions  in  poor  countries,  and 
especially  where  the  missionaries  are  laboring  for  the  conver- 
sion of  the  native  heathens. 

When  the  Holy  Father  had  his  own  possessions  he  could 
do  much  that  he  cannot  now  do  for  the  conversion  of  pagan 
nations.  At  present  he  must  depend  entirely  upon  the  chari- 
table offerings  of  the  faithful  for  all  good  works,  even  for  his 
own  support.  The  offering  we  make  once  a  year  for  the  support 
of  the  Holy  Father  is  called  *'  Peter's  pence,"  because  it  be- 
gan by  every  one  sending  yearly  a  penny  to  the  Pope,  the  suc- 
cessor of  St.  Peter. 

*  126  Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  the  indefectibility  of 
the  Church? 

A.  By  the  indefectibility  of  the  Church  I  mean  that  the 
Church,  as  Christ  founded  it,  will  last  till  the  en  .  of  time. 

Therefore  indefectibility  means  that  the  "Jhurch  can  never 
change  any  of  the  doctrines  that  Our  Lord  taught,  nor  ever 
cease  to  exist.  When  we  say  it  is  infallible,  we  mean  that 
it  cannot  teach  error  while  it  lasts;  but  when  we  say  it  is 
indefectible,  we  mean  that  it  will  last  forever  and  be  infalli- 
ble forever,  and  also  that  it  will  always  remain  the  same  as 
Our  Lord  founded  it.  There  are  two  things  that  you  must 
clearly  understand  and  not  confound,  namely,  the  two  kinds 
of  laws  in  the  Church — those  which  Our  Lord  gave  it  and 
those  which  it  made  itself.  The  laws  that  Our  Lord 
gave  it  it  can  never  change.  For  example,  the  Church 
could  not  abolish  one  of  the  sacraments,  leaving  only  six; 
neither  could  it  add  a  now  one,  making  eight.  But  when, 
for  example,  the  Church  declares  that  on  a  certain  day  we 
cannot   eat  flesh  meat,  it  makes  the   law    itself,   and   car 


On  the  Attributes  and  Marks  of  the  Church.        141 

change  it  wlien  it  wishes.  Our  Lord  left  His  Churcli  free  to 
make  certain  laws,  just  as  they  would  De  needed.  It  has 
always  exercised  this  power,  and  made  laws  to  suit  the  cir- 
cumstances of  the  place  or  times.  Even  now  it  does  away 
with  some  of  its  old  laws  that  are  no  longer  useful,  and  makes 
new  ones  that  are  more  necessary.  But  the  doctrines,  the 
truths  of  faith  or  morals,  the  things  we  must  believe  and  do 
to  save  our  souls,  it  never  changes  and  never  can  change: 
it  may  regulate  some  things  in  the  application  of  the  divine 
Jaws,  but  the  laws  themselves  can  never  change  in  substance. 

*  127  Q.  In  whom  are  these  attributes  found  in  their 
fulness  ? 

A.  These  attributes  are  found  in  their  fulness  in  tbe 
Pope,  the  visible  head  of  the  Church,  whose  infallible 
authority  to  teach  bishops,  priests,  and  people  in  matters 
of  faith  or  morals  will  last  to  the  end  of  the  world. 

128  Q.  Has  the  Church  any  marks  by  which  it  may  be 
known? 

A.  The  Church  has  four  marks  by  which  it  may  be 
known:  it  is  one;  it  is  holy;  it  is  catholic;  it  is 
apostolic. 

*  129  Q.  How  is  the  Church  one? 

A.  The  Church  is  one  because  all  its  members  agree  iL. 
one  faith,  are  all  in  one  communion,  and  are  all  under  one 
head. 

The  Catholic  Church  Is  "  one,"  first  in  government  and 
second  in  doctrine.  In  govern7nent  every  pastor  has  a  certain 
parish  or  territory  in  which  all  the  people  belong  to  his  con- 
gregation— they  form  his  flock.  He  has  to  take  care  only  of 
these,  to  teach  them,  give  them  the  sacraments,  etc.  He  has 
not  to  be  responsible  for  those  outside  his  parish.  Then  over 
the  pastor  we  have  the  bishop,  who  looks  after  a  certain  num- 
ber of  pastors  ;  then  comes  the  archbishop  over  a  certain 
number  of  bishops  ;  next  comes  the  primate,  who  is  head  of 
all  the  archbishops  in  the  country;  and  over  all  the  primates 
of  the  world  we  have  the  Holy  Father.     Thus,  when  the  Holy 


142         On  the  Attributes  and  Marks  of  the  Church. 

Father  speaks  to  the  bishops,  the  bishops  speak  to  the 
priests,  and  the  priests  to  the  people.  The  Church  is  there- 
fore one  in  government,  like  a  great  army  s]3read  over  the 
world.  We  can  go  up  step  by  step  from  the  lowest  member 
of  the  Church  to  the  highest — the  Holy  Father;  and  from 
him  to  Our  Lord  Himself,  Who  is  the  invisible  head  of  all. 
This  regular  body  of-  priests,  bishops,  archbishops,  etc.,  so 
arranged,  one  superior  to  the  other,  is  called  the  hierarchy  of 
the  Church. 

The  Church  is  one  also  in  doctrine — that  is,  every  one  of 
the  three  hundred  million  of  Catholics  in  the  world  believes 
exactly  the  same  truths.  If  any  Catholic  denies  only  one  ar- 
ticle of  f:vith,  though  he  believes  all  the  rest,  he  ceases  to  be  a 
Catholic,  and  is  cut  off  from  the  Church.  If,  for  example, 
you  would  not  believe  matrimony  or  Holy  Orders  a  sacrament, 
or  that  Our  Lord  is  present  in  the  Holy  Eucharist,  you  would 
not  be  a  Catholic,  though  you  believed  all  tne  other  teachings 
of  the  Church. 

Therefore  the  Church  is  one  both  in  government  and 
teaching  or  doctrine.  Now,  has  any  other  Church  claiming 
to  be  Christ's  Church  that  mark  ?  No.  The  Protestant  re- 
ligions are  not  one  either  in  government  or  belief.  The 
Protestants  of  England  have  no  authority  over  the  Protestants 
of  America,  and  those  of  America  have  nothing  to  say  over 
those  of  Germany  or  France.  So  every  country  is  independ- 
ent, and  they  have  no  chief  head.  Neither  are  they  one  in 
belief.  In  the  same  country  there  are  many  kinds  of  Prot- 
estants— Episcopalians,  Presbyterians,  Methodists,  etc.,  who 
do  not  believe  the  same  thing.  Even  those  who  attend  the 
same  church  and  profess  the  same  religion  do  not  all  believe 
the  same.  Every  one,  they  say,  has  a  right  to  interpret  the 
Holy  Scriptures  according  to  his  own  views,  so  they  take 
many  different  meanings  out  of  the  very  same  words.  There 
must  be  some  chief  person  to  tell  the  true  meaning  of  the 
Holy  Scriptures  when  there  is  a  dispute  about  it ;  but  they 
have  no  such  chief,  and  the  result  is  they  are  never  done  dis- 
puting. 


On  the  Attributes  and  Marks  of  tJie  Church.         143 

The  United  States  has  a  constitution  and  laws.  Now, 
suppose  every  citizen  was  allowed  to  construe  the  laws  to  suit 
himself,  without  any  regard  for  the  rights  of  others,  what  a 
fine  state  of  affairs  we  should  soon  have.  But  the  wise  makers 
of  the  constitution  and  laws  of  the  United  States  did  not 
leave  us  in  such  danger.  They  appointed  judges  to  interpret 
or  explain  the  laws  and  give  the  correct  meaning  when  dis- 
putes arisCo  Then  in  Washington  there  is  a  chief  judge  for 
the  whole  United  States  ;  and  when  he  says  the  words  of  the 
law  mean  this  or  that,  every  citizen  must  abide  by  his  decision, 
and  there  is  no  appeal  from  it.  Just  in  the  same  way  Our 
Lord  made  laws  for  all  men,  and  while  He  was  upon  earth  He 
explained  them  Himself.  He  never  left  all  men  free  to  take 
their  own  meaning  out  of  them.  He  appointed  judges — the 
bishops;  and  a  chief  judge  for  the  whole  world — the  Pope. 
The  Holy  Ghost  guides  him,  as  we  have  seen  above,  so  that 
he  cannot  make  mistakes  in  the  meaning  of  Christ's  laws ; 
and  Avhen  he  says,  this  is  what  the  words  of  Our  Lord  in  His 
law  signify,  no  one  who  is  a  true  Christian  can  refuse  to  be- 
lieve, or  can  appeal  from  his  decision. 

*  130  Q.  How  is  the  Church  holy? 
A.  The   Church   is   holy   because  its   founder,   Jesus 
Christ,  is  holy  ;  because  it  teaches  a  holy  doctrine,  invites 
all  to  a  holy  life ;  and  because  of  the  eminent  holiness  of 
so  many  thousands  of  its  children. 

Protestant  religions  have  not  holy  doctrines  if  we  examine 
them  closely.  They  teach,  for  example,  that  faith  without 
good  works  will  save  us,  and  thus  take  away  the  motives  for 
doing  good  ;  that  marriage  is  not  binding  for  life — the  hus- 
band and  wife  may  for  some  causes  separate,  or  get  a  divorce 
and  marry  again.  This  would  leave  the  children  without  the' 
care  of  their  proper  parents,  sometimes  without  a  home,  and 
nearly  always  without  religious  instruction.  The  same  per- 
sons might  separate  again  and  marry  another  time,  and  thus 
there  would  be  nothing  but  confusion  and  immorality  in  so- 
ciety.    Again,  some  of  their  doctrines  teach  that  we  cannot 


144         On  the  Attributes  and  Marks  of  the  Church, 

help  erinuing  ;  so  every  one  could  excuse  himself  for  his  sins 
by  sayiug  he  could  uot  help  them,  which  you  cau  easily  see 
would  lead  to  the  worst  of  consequences.  Lastly,  their  doc- 
trines have  never  made  one  saint — acknowledged  as  such  from 
miracles  performed.  Protestants  are  so  called  because,  when 
tlieir  ancestors  rebelled  against  the  Church  about  three  hun- 
dred years  ago,  the  Church  made  certain  laws  and  they  pro- 
itested  against  them,  separated  from  the  Church,  and  formed 
A  new  religion  of  their  own. 

*  131  Q.  How  is  the  Church  catholic  or  universal? 
A.  The   Church  is  catholic   or   universal   because   it 
subsists  in  all  ages,  teaches  all  nations,  and  maintains  all 
truth. 

"  Subsists  "  means  to  have  existence. 

"Catholic."  The  word  catholic  signifies  universal.  The 
Church  is  universal  in  three  ways,  viz. :  in  time,  in  place,  and 
in  doctrine.  It  is  universal  in  time  ;  for  from  the  day  Our 
Lord  commissioned  His  apostles  to  preach  to  the  whole  world 
down  to  the  present,  it  has  existed,  tauglit,  and  labored  in 
every  age.  It  is  universal  in  place  ;  that  is,  it  is  not  con- 
fined to  one  part  of  the  world,  but  teaches  throughout  the 
entire  world.  It  is  universal  in  doctrine,  for  it  teaches 
the  same  doctrines  and  administers  the  same  sacraments 
everywhere  ;  and  its  doctrines  are  suited  to  all  classes  of 
men — to  the  ignorant  as  well  as  the  learned,  to  the  poor  as 
well  as  the  rich.  It  teaches  by  the  voice  of  its  priests  and 
bishops,  and  all,  civilized  or  uncivilized,  to  whom  its  voice 
reaches,  can  learn  its  doctrines,  receive  its  sacraments,  and 
practise  its  devotions. 

It  has  converted  all  the  pagan  nations  that  have  ever 
'been  converted,  and  the  title  catholic  belongs  to  the  Eoman 
Catholic  Church  alone.  All  Protestant  churches  that  claim 
this  title  do  so  unjustly.  They  are  not  universal  in  time, 
and  cannot  be  called  tlie  Church  of  all  ages,  because  they 
were  established  only  three  hundred  or  four  hundred  or  less 
fears  ago.     They  are  not  catholic  in  place,  because  they  are 


On  the  Attrihutes  and  Marks  of  the  Church.        145 

mostly  confined  to  particular  countries.  They  are  not  uni- 
versal in  doctrine,  because  what  they  teach  in  one  country 
they  reject  in  another  ;  and  even  in  the  same  country,  what 
they  teach  at  one  time  they  reject  at  another.  Wherever  it 
is  possible  for  civilized  people  to  go,  there  you  will  find  a 
priest  saying  Mass  in  just  the  same  way  you  see  him  saying  it 
here.  It  is  a  great  consolation  for  one  in  a  strange  country 
to  enter  a  church  and  hear  Mass,  perceiving  no  difference 
in  the  vestments,  ceremonies,  or  language  of  the  priest.  A 
little  altar-boy  from  the  United  States  could  serve  Mass  in 
any  part  of  the  world.  See,  therefore,  the  great  advantage 
the  Church  has  in  using  the  Latin  language  instead  of  the 
vernacular  or  ordinary  language  of  the  people.  If  the  Church 
used  the  usual  language  of  the  people,  the  Mass  would  seem 
different  in  every  country;  while  natives  would  understand  the 
words  of  the  priest,  strangers  would  not. 

The  Latin  language  is  now  what  we  call  a  dead  language  ; 
that  is,  it  is  not  the  common  language  of  any  country ;  and 
because  it  is  a  dead  language  does  not  change  :  another  reason 
why  the  Church  uses  it,  that  nothing  may  change  in  its  di- 
vine service.  The  prayers  used  in  the  Church  are  exactly 
the  same  to-day  as  they  were  when  they  were  written,  many 
centuries  ago.  The  living  languages — that  is,  those  in  use, 
such  as  English,  French,  German,  etc.,  are  always  changing  a 
little  —new  words  are  being  added,  and  the  meaning  of  old 
ones  changed.  The  Church  uses  the  same  language  all  over 
the  world  to  show  that  it  is  not  the  Church  of  any  particular 
country,  but  the  true  Church  of  all  men  everywhere. 

Again,  using  only  one  language,  the  Church  can  hold  its 
great  councils,  call  together  all  the  bishops  of  the  world,  that 
they  may  condemn  errors  or  make  wise  laws.  When  the  Holy 
Father  addresses  them  in  Latin  they  can  all  understand  and 
answer  him.  If,  therefore,  the  Church  did  not  use  the  same 
language  everywhere  how  could  this  be  done,  unless  every  one 
present  understood  all  the  languages  of  the  world — which  is  a 
thing  nearly  impossible.  But  some  one  might  say,  if  the  Mass 
5vas  said  in  English  we  could  follow  it  better.     You  can  follow 


146         On  the  Attributes  and  Marks  of  the  Church. 

just  as  well  iu  Latin,  for  in  nearly  all  prayer-books  you  have 
besides  the  Latin  said  by  the  priest  the  meaning  of  it  in  Eng- 
lish on  the  same  page,  or  you  have  the  English  alone. 

*  132  Q.  How  is  the  Church  apostolic  ? 
A.  The  Church  is   apostolic  because  it  was  founded 
by  Christ  on  His  apostles  and  is  governed  by  their  law- 
ful successors,  and  because  it  has  never  ceased,  and  never 
will  cease,  to  teach  their  doctrine. 

"  Apostolic,"  which  means  that  the  Church  was  founded 
at  the  time  of  the  apostles,  and  has  been  the  same  ever  since. 
Since  the  time  of  St.  Peter,  the  first  Pope,  there  have  been  two 
hundred  and  sixty-three  popes.  You  can  go  back  from  our 
present  Holy  Father,  Leo  XIIL,  to  Pius  IX.,  who  was  before 
him,  to  Gregory  XVL,  who  was  before  him,  to  Pius  VIIL, 
before  him,  and  so  on  one  by  one  till  you  come  to  St.  Peter 
himself,  who  lived  at  the  time  of  Our  Lord.  Thus  the  Church 
is  apostolic  in  its  origin  or  beginning. 

It  is  also  apostolic  in  its  teaching;  for  all  the  doctrines 
it  teaches  now  were  taught  by  the  apostles.  The  Church 
does  not  make  new  doctrines,  but  it  teaches  its  truths  more 
clearly  and  distinctly  when  some  one  denies  them.  For  ex- 
ample, it  would  not  be  necessary  for  you  to  prove  yourself 
good  and  honest  till  somebody  said  you  were  bad  and  dishon- 
est. You  prove  your  honesty  when  it  is  denied,  but  both  you 
and  your  friends  believed  it  always,  though  you  did  not  de- 
clare it  till  it  was  denied.  In  just  the  same  way  the  Church 
always  believed  that  Our  Lord  is  the  Son  of  God;  that  there 
are  seven  sacraments;  that  the  Pope  is  infallible,  etc.  These 
truths  and  ah  the  others  were  believed  by  the  apostles,  and 
the  Church  proclaimed  them  in  a  special  manner  when  they 
were  denied.  Then  it  called  together  in  council  all  its 
bishops,  and  they,  with  the  Holy  Father,  proclaimed  these 
truths — not  as  new  doctrines,  but  as  truths  always  believed  by 
the  Church,  and  now  defined  because  denied. 

Protestants  have  not  for  their  churches  the  mark  apostclic. 
How  could  their  churches  he  founded  by  the  apostles,  when 


On  the  Attributes  and  Marks  of  the  Church.        147 

fhe  apostles  were  dead  more  than  fourteen  hundred  years 
before  there  were  any  Protestant  churches  ?  Wliat  is  more, 
they  have  changed  the  teachings  of  the  apostles;  and  so  they 
have  not  tne  mark  apostolic  either  in  their  origin  or  teaching. 

But  they  say  the  Catholic  Church  fell  into  error  and  made 
mistakes,  and  that  God  wished  reformers  to  correct  these  errors. 
How  could  the  Church  fall  into  error  when  Our  Lord  prom- 
ised to  remain  always  with  it,  and  to  send  the  Holy  Ghost  to 
guide  and  teach  it  forever  ?  And,  secondly,  if  God  sent  the 
Protestants  to  correct  the  mistakes  of  the  Catholic  Church, 
what  proof  do  they  give  us  that  they  have  such  power  from 
God  ?  When,  as  we  have  seen,  God  sends  any  one  to  do  a 
special  work.  He  always  gives  him  power  to  prove  his  mission. 
When  He  sent  Moses,  He  gave  him  signs — the  plagues  of 
Egypt.  When  He  sent  his  prophets,  they  called  down  fire 
and  rain  from  heaven  (III.  Kings  xviii.).  But  Protestants 
have  shown  us  no  signs  and  performed  no  miracles;  there- 
fore we  cannot  believe  their  assertion  that  God  sent  them  to 
correct  the  Catholic  Church.  Neither  can  we  believe  that 
Our  Lord  broke  His  promise  to  stay  with  the  Church.  We  shall 
see  the  whole  truth  of  the  matter  if  we  go  back  to  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  Protestant  religion  and  consider  the  life  oi 
Luther  and  the  others  who  founded  it. 

Luther,  then  a  young  man,  while  out  one  day,  saw  hii 
friend  killed  at  his  side  by  a  stroke  of  lightning.  Much 
affected  by  that  sad  event,  Luther  became  a  priest  in  the  or- 
der of  the  Augustinians.  He  was  a  learned  man  and  a  great 
preacher,  but  very  proud.  The  Holy  Father  was  completing 
St.  Peter's  Church  in  Rome,  and  about  that  time  granted  an 
indulgence  to  those  giving  alms  for  the  purpose:  just  as 
pastors  now  offer  Masses  for  those  who  contribute  mean£  to 
buili  a  new  church,  or  hospital,  asylum,  etc. 

The  Holy  Father  sent  Dominican  priests  to  preach  about 
this  indulgence  and  collect  this  money.  Then  Luther,  when 
he  found  that  he,  a  great  preacher,  was  not  appointed, 
was  probably  jealous.  He  first  began  to  preach  against  the 
abuses  of  indulgences;  bat  j^ride  made  him  go  further,  and 


148         On  the  Attributes  and  Marks  of  the  Church. 

Boon  he  began  to  preach  against  the  doctrine  of  indulgenceSi 
and  thus  became  a  heretic.  Then  he  was  condemned  by  the 
Pope,  and  cut  off  from  the  Church.  Being  proud,  he  would 
not  submit,  but  began  to  form  a  new  religion,  now  called 
Protestant.  But  how  did  he  get  the  people  to  follow  him  ? 
Oh,  very  easily.  Then,  as  now,  there  were  plenty  of  bad  and  in- 
different Catholics,  At  that  time  the  Church  was  rich  and 
had  much  property  and  lands;  because  when  rich  Catholics 
died  they  often  left  to  the  Church  property  for  its  own  sup. 
port  and  the  support  of  its  institutions.  Even  during  their 
life-time  kings  and  princes  sometimes  gave  the  Church  large 
donations  of  lands  and  money.  The  Church  then  was  sup- 
ported by  these  gifts  and  the  income  or  rents  of  the  lands, 
and  did  not  need  to  look  for  collections  from  the  people,  as 
it  has  to  do  now.  Here,  then,  is  how  Luther  got  many  to 
follow  him.  He  told  greedy  princes  that  if  they  came  with 
him  they  could  become  rich  by  seizing  the  property  of  all  the 
churches,  and  the  greedy  princes,  glad  of  an  excuse,  went  with 
him.  Then  he  told  the  people — the  bad  Catholics — that  fasting 
was  too  severe;  going  to  confession  too  hard ;  hearing  Mass  every 
Sunday  too  difficult;  and  if  they  renounced  their  faith  and 
embraced  his  new  religion  he  would  do  away  with  all  these 
things:  so  they  also  followed  him.  He  himself  broke  his  solemn 
TOWS  made  to  God,  and  the  people  easily  followed  his  example. 

Those  attending  the  Protestant  churches  in  our  times  are 
generally  rich  and  refined  people,  but  you  must  not  think  that 
the  first  Protestants  of  three  hundred  years  ago  were  just  like 
them.  No.  Many  of  them  were  from  the  lowest  and  worst — I  do 
not  say  poorest — classes  in  society;  and  when  they  got  an  ex 
cuse,  they  went  about  destroying  churches  and  institutions^i 
burning  beautiful  statues,  paintings,  music,  books,  and  works 
of  art  that  the  Church  had  collected  and  preserved  for  centu- 
ries. This  you  may  read  in  any  of  the  histories  of  the  Church 
and  times.  The  Protestants  of  the  present  day  praise  all 
these  works  of  art  now;  but  if  their  ancestors  had  had  their 
^&y  every  beautiful  work  of  art  would  have  been  destroyed. 

Some  persons  say  they  would  not  be  members  of  the  Cath* 


Ofi  th£  Attributes  and  Marks  of  the  Cki,rch»        148 

oiic  Church  because  so  many  poor  people  attend  it.  Then 
they  do  not  want  to  belong  to  the  Church  of  Our  Lord,  b& 
cause  His  Church  is  the  Church  of  both  poor  and  rich.  When 
St.  John  the  Baptist  sent  his  disciples  to  ask  Our  Lord  if  He 
were  really  the  Messias,  Our  Lord  did  not  say  yes  or  no,  but 
told  them  to  relate  to  John  what  they  had  heard  and  seen 
{Matt.  xi.  5),  namely,  that  He  (Christ)  cured  the  blind,  the 
/ame,  and  the  deaf,  and  preached  to  the  poor.  Therefore 
Our  Lord  gave  preaching  to  the  poor  as  a  proof  that  He  is 
the  true  Redeemer;  and  since  Our  Lord  Himself  had  the  poor 
in  His  congregation,  the  Church  everywhere  must  have  the 
poor  among  its  members,  for  it  must  do  what  Our  Lord 
did.  So  if  you  see  a  church  to  which  the  poor  people  never 
go,  and  in  which  they  are  not  welcome,  you  have  good  reason 
to  suspect  it  is  not  the  Church  of  Our  Lord — not  the  true 
Church.  Again,  poverty  and  riches  belong  only  to  this  world 
and  make  a  distinction  only  here.  The  one  who  is  poorest  in 
this  world's  goods  may  be  richest  in  God's  grace.  Indeed,  ii 
most  Protestants  studied  the  early  history  of  their  religion 
they  would  not  be  proud,  but  ashamed  of  it.  How  little  they 
would  think  of  their  ancestors  who  gave  up  God  for  some 
worldly  gain,  while  the  Catholic  martyrs  gave  up  everything, 
even  their  lives,  rather  than  forsake  God  and  the  true  re- 
ligion. 

133  Q.  In  which  church  are  these  attributes  and 
marks  found? 

A.  These  attributes  and  marks  are  found  in  the  Holy 
3,oman  Catholic  Church  alone. 

We  have  seen  that  some  religions  may  seem  to  have  one 
or  two  of  the  marks;  but  the  Catholic  Church  alone  has  them 
iill,  and  is  consequently  the  only  true  Chui-ch  of  Christ. 
The  other  religions  are  not  one — that  is,  united  over  the 
world;  they  give  no  proof  of  holiness,  never  having  had  any 
great  saints  whom  God  acknowledged  as  such  by  performing 
miracles  for  them.  They  are  not  catholic,  because  they  have 
not  taiMtht  in  all  ages  and  nations.     They  are  not  apostolic. 


tfiO        On  the  Attributes  and  Marks  of  the  tJliurcK 

because  established  hundreds  of  years  after  the  apoBtlea 
They  are  not  infallible,  for  they  have  now  declared  thijigj 
to  be  false  which  they  formerly  declared  to  be  true;  they  arc 
not  indefectible— they  are  not  as  Our  Lord  founded  them,  foi 
He  never  founded  them;  and  they  are  constantly  making 
changes  in  their  beliefs  and  practices. 

The  marts  of  the  Church  are  necessary  also  because  (h( 
Church  must  l^e  a  visible  Church,  that  all  men  may  bf 
able  to  see  and  know  it;  for  Our  Lord  said  (Matt,  xviii.  17) 
"He  that  will  not  hear  the  Church,  let  him  be  to  thee  as  the 
heathen  aud  the  publican."  Heathens  were  those  who  wor 
shipped  false  gods.  Publicans  wore  men  who  gathered  the 
taxes  from  the  Jews  for  the  Romans ;  they  were  generally 
very  cruel  to  the  people,  and  were  much  hated  and  despised 
by  them.  Therefore  Our  Lord  meant :  if  any  one  will  not 
obey  the  Church,  you  should  avoid  him  as  you  avoid  the 
heathens  and  the  publicans,  whom  you  despise.  Now  no  one 
can  be  blamed  for  not  obeying  a  church  that  is  invisible  and 
unknown.  Therefore  the  true  Church  must  be  a  visible  body 
and  easily  known  to  all  who  earnestly  seek  it  as  the  Church 
of  Christ.  But  if  some  shut  their  eyes  and  refuse  to  look  at 
the  light  of  truth,  ignorance  will  not  excuse  them ;  they  must 
be  blamed  and  fall  under  the  sentence  of  Our  Lord. 


*  134  Q.  From  whom  does  the  Church  derive  its  un- 
dying life  and  infallible  authority  ? 

A.  The  Church  derives  its  undying  life  and  infallible 
authority  from  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  spirit  of  truth,  Who 
abides  with  it  for  ever. 

♦  135  Q.  By  whom  is  the  Church  made  and  kept  one, 
holy,  and  catholic? 

A.  The  Church  is  made  and  kept  one,  holy,  and 
catholic  by  the  Holy  Ghost,  the  Spirit  of  love  and  holi- 
ness, Who  unites  and  sanctifies  its  members  throughout 
the  world- 


On  the  Sacraments  in  General.  151 


LESSON  THIRTEENTH. 

ON  THE  SACRAMENTS  IN  GENERAL. 

This  lesson  does  not  speak  of  any  sacrament  in  particular, 
but  upon  all  the  sacraments  taken  together.  It  explains 
what  we  find  in  all  the  sacraments. 

136  Q.  What  is  a  sacrament? 

A.  A  sacrament  is  an  outward  sign  instituted  by  Christ 
to  give  grace. 

Three  tilings  are  necessary  to  make  a  sacrament.  There 
must  be  (1)  "  An  outward,"  that  is,  a  visible,  "  sign  ;  "  (2)  this 
sign  must  have  been  instituted  or  given  by  Our  Lord  ;  (3) 
it  must  give  grace.  Now,  a  sign  is  that  which  tells  us  that 
something  else  exists.  Smoke  indicates  the  presence  of  fire. 
A  red  light  on  a  raih'oad  tells  us  there  is  danger  at  the  spot. 
Therefore,  the  outward  signs  in  the  sacraments  tell  us  that 
there  is  in  the  sacraments  something  we  do  not  see  and  which 
they  signify  and  impart.  For  example,  the  outward  sign  in 
Baptism  is  the  pouring  of  the  water  on  the  head  of  the  person 
to  be  baptized,  and  the  saying  of  the  words.  "Water  is  gener- 
ally used  for  cleaning  purposes.  AVater,  therefore,  is  used  in 
Baptism  as  an  outward  sign  to  show  that  as  the  water  cleans 
the  body,  so  the  grace  given  in  Baptism  cleans  the  soul.  It  is 
not  a  mere  sign,  for  at  the  very  moment  that  the  priest  pours 
the  water  and  says  the  words  of  Baptism,  by  the  pouring  of 
the  water  and  saying  of  the  words  with  the  proper  intention 
the  soul  is  cleansed  from  original  sin  ;  that  is,  the  inward 
grace  is  given  by  the  application  of  the  outward  sign.  Again, 
in  Confirmation  the  outward  sign  is  the  anointing  with  oil,  the 


152  On  the  Sacraments  in  General. 

Bishop's  prayer,  and  the  placing  of  his  hands  upon  us.  Now 
what  inward  grace  is  given  in  Confirmation  ?  A  grace  which 
strengtliens  us  in  our  faith.  Oil,  therefore,  is  used  for  the 
outward  sign  in  this  sacrament,  because  oil  gives  strength  and 
light. 

In  olden  times  the  gladiators — men  who  fought  with 
swords  as  prize-fighters  do  now  with  their  hands — used  oil 
npon  their  bodies  to  make  them  strong.  Oil  was  used  also 
to  heal  wounds.  Thus  in  Confirmation  the  application  of 
this  outward  sign  of  strength  gives  the  inward  grace  of  light 
and  strength.  Moreover,  oil  easily  spreads  itself  over  any- 
thing and  remains  on  it.  A  drop  of  water  falling  on  paper 
dries  up  quickly;  but  a  drop  of  oil  soaks  in  and  spreads  over 
it.  So  oil  is  used  to  show  also  that  the  grace  of  Confirmation 
spreads  out  over  our  whole  lives,  and  strengthens  us  in  our 
faith  at  all  times. 

Again,  in  Penance  we  have  the  outward  sign  when  the 
priest  raises  his  hand  and  pronounces  over  us  the  words  of 
absolution. 

If  we  did  not  have  these  outward  signs  how  could  any  one 
know  just  at  what  time  the  graces  are  given  ?  We  can  know 
now,  for  at  the  very  moment  the  outward  sign  is  applied  the 
grace  is  given  ;  because  it  is  the  application  of  the  sign  that 
by  divine  institution  gives  the  grace,  and  thus  the  two  must 
take  place  together. 

"  Institution  by  Christ "  is  absolutely  necessary  because  He 
gives  all  grace,  and  He  alone  can  determine  the  manner  in 
which  He  wishes  it  distributed.  The  Church  can  distribute 
His  grace,  but  only  in  the  way  He  wishes.  Hence  it  cannot 
make  new  sacraments  or  abolish  old  ones. 

137  Q.  How  many  sacraments  are  there? 

A.  There  are  seven  sacraments :  Baptism,  Confirmation, 
Holy  Eucharist,  Penance,  Extreme  Unction,  Holy  Orders, 
and  Matrimony. 

The  life  of  our  soul  is  in  many  ways  similar  to  the  life  of 
our  body.     Our  bodies  must  first  be  born,  then  strengthened. 


On  the  Sacraments  in  General.  153 

then  fed.  When  sick,  we  must  be  cured  ;  and  when  about  to 
die,  we  must  be  taken  care  of.  Then  there  must  be  some  one 
to  rule  others,  and  there  must  be  persons  to  be  governed. 
In  like  manner,  we  are  spiritually  born  into  a  new  life  by 
Baptism,  we  are  strengthened  by  Confirmation,  fed  with  the 
Holy  Eucharist,  and  cured  of  the  maladies  of  our  souls  by 
Penance.  By  Extreme  Unction  we  are  helped  at  the  hour  of 
death  ;  by  Holy  Orders  our  spiritual  rulers  are  appointed  by 
God;  and  by  Matrimony  families,  with  a  father  at  the  head 
and  children  to  be  ruled,  are  established.  Thus  we  have  our 
spiritual  life  similar  in  many  things  to  our  physical  or  bodily 
life. 

138  Q.  Whence  have  the  sacraments  the  power  of  giv- 
ing grace? 

A.  The  sacraments  have  the  power  of  giving  grace  from 
the  merits  of  Jesus  Christ. 

Our  Lord  died  to  merit  grace  for  us,  and  appointed  tho 
sacraments  as  the  chief  means  by  which  it  was  to  be  given. 

■  139  Q.  What  grace  do  the  sacraments  give? 
A.  Some   of  the   sacraments   give   sanctifying  grace, 
and  others  increase  it  in  our  souls. 

Baptism  and  Penance  give  this  sanctifying  grace  when 
there  is  not  any  of  it  in  the  soul.  But  the  other  sacraments 
are  received  while  we  are  in  a  state  of  grace,  and  they  there- 
fore increase  the  quantity  of  it  in  our  souls. 

*  140  Q.  Which  are  the  sacraments  that  give  sanctify- 
ing grace? 

A.  The  sacraments  that  give  sanctifying  grace  are 
Baptism  and  Penance ;  and  they  are  called  sacraments  of 
the  dead. 

"  Of  the  dead."  Not  of  a  dead  person;  for  when  a  person 
is  dead  he  cannot  receive  any  of  the  sacraments.  It  is  only 
while  we  live  upon  earth  that  we  are  on  trial,  and  can  do  good 


154  On  the  Sacraments  in  GeneraL 

or  evil,  aud  merit  grace.  At  death  we  receive  simply  our 
reward  or  puuishment  for  what  we  have  done  while  living. 
Therefore,  sacraments  of  the  dead  mean  sacraments  given  to 
a  dead  soul,  that  is,  to  a  soul  in  mortal  sin.  When  grace — its 
life — is  all  out  of  the  soul  it  can  do  nothing  to  merit  heaven; 
and  we  say  it  is  dead,  because  the  dead  can  do  nothing  for 
themselves.  If  a  person  receives — as  many  do— the  sacrament 
of  penance  while  liis  soul  is  not  in  a  state  of  mortal  sin,  what 
then  ?  Then  the  soul — ^^already  living — receives  an  increase 
of  sanctifying  grace,  that  is,  greater  spiritual  life  and  strength. 

*  141  Q.  Why  are  Baptism  and  Penance  called  sacra- 
ments of  the  dead  ?    ' 

A.  Baptism  and  Penance  are  called  sacraments  of  the 
dead  because  they  take  away  sin,  which  is  the  death  of 
the  soul,  and  give  grace,  which  is  its  life. 

*  142  Q.  Which  are  the  sacraments  that  increase  sanc- 
tifying grace  in  the  sovd? 

A.  The  sacraments  that  increase  sanctifying  grace  in 
the  soul  are:  Confirmation,  Holy  Eucharist,  Extreme 
Unction,  Holy  Orders,  and  Matrimony;  and  they  are 
called  sacraments  of  the  living. 

*  143  Q.  Why  are  Confirmation,  Holy  Eucharist,  Ex- 
treme Unction,  Holy  Orders,  and  Matrimony  called  sac- 
raments of  the  living  ? 

A.  Confirmation,  Holy  Eucharist,  Extreme  Unction, 
Holy  Orders,  and  Matrimony  are  called  the  sacraments  of 
the  living  because  those  who  receive  them  worthily  are 
already  living  the  life  of  grace. 

*  144  Q.  What  sin  does  he  commit  who  receives  the 
sacraments  of  the  living  in  mortal  sin  ? 

A.  He  who  receives  the  sacraments  of  the  living  in 
mortal  sin  commits  a  sacrilege,  which  is  a  great  sin,  be- 
cause it  is  an  abuse  of  a  sacred  thing. 

"  Sacrilege."  There  are  other  ways  besides  the  unworthy 
reception  of  the  sacraments  in  which  a  person  may  commit 
sacrilege.     You  could  commit  it  by  treating  any  sacred  thing 


On  the  Sacraments  in  General.  156 

with  great  disrespect  For  example,  by  making  common  use 
of  the  sacred  vessels  used  at  the  altar;  by  stealing  from  the 
church;  by  turning  the  church  into  a  market,  etc.  You 
could  commit  it  also  by  wilfully  killing  or  wounding  persons 
consecrated  to  God,  such  as  nuns,  priests,  bishops,  etc.  There- 
fore sacrilege  can  be  committed  by  wilfully  abusing  or  treat- 
ing witb  great  irreverence  any  sacred  person,  sacred  place,  or 
sacred  thing. 

*  145  Q.  Besides  sanctifying  grace,  do  the  sacraments 
give  any  other  grace? 

A.  Besides  sanctifying  grace,  the  sacraments  give 
another  grace,  called  sacramental. 

*  146  Q.  "What  is  sacramental  grace  ? 

A.  Sacramental  grace  is  a  special  help  which  God 
gives  to  attain  the  end  for  which  He  instituted  each 
sacrament. 

For  example,  what  was  the  end  for  which  Penance  was 
instituted  ?  To  forgive  sins  and  keep  us  out  of  sin.  There- 
fore the  sacramental  grace  given  in  Penance  is  a  grace  that 
will  enable  us  to  overcome  temptation  and  avoid  the  sins  we 
have  been  in  the  habit  of  committing.  "When  a  person  is  ill 
the  doctor's  medicine  generally  produces  two  effects:  one  is 
to  cure  the  disease  and  the  other  to  strengthen  the  person  so 
that  he  may  not  fall  back  into  the  old  condition.  Well,  it  is 
just  the  same  in  the  sacraments;  the  grace  given  produces  two 
effects:  one  is  to  sanctify  us  and  the  other  to  prevent  us  from 
falling  into  the  same  sins.  Again,  Confirmation  was  instituted 
that  we  might  become  more  perfect  Christians,  stronger  in 
our  faith.  Therefore  the  sacramental  grace  of  Confirmation 
will  strengthen  us  to  profess  our  faith  when  circumstances 
require  it;  or  when  we  are  tempted  to  doubt  any  revealed 
truth,  it  will  help  us  to  overcome  the  temptation.  So  in  all 
the  sacraments  we  receive  the  sacramental  grace  or  special 
help  given  to  attain  the  end  for  wh'ch  the  sacraments  wero 
separately  instituted. 


156  On  the  Sacraments  in  General. 

147  Q.  Do  the  sacraments  always  ^ve  grace? 

A.  The  sacraments   always   give   grace,  if  "we   receive 
them  with  the  right  dispositions. 

"Right  dispositions;''  that  is,  if  we  do  all  that  God  and 
the  Church  require  us  to  do  when  we  receive  them.  For 
instance,  in  Penance  the  right  disposition  is  to  confess  all  our 
mortal  sins  as  we  know  them,  to  be  sorry  for  them,  and  have 
the  determination  never  to  commit  them  again.  The  right  dis- 
position for  the  Holy  Eucharist  is  to  be  in  a  state  of  grace,  and 
— except  in  special  cases  of  sickness — fasting  from  midnight. 

148  Q.  Can  we  receive  the  sacraments  more  than 
once? 

A,  We  can  receive  the  sacraments  more  than  once, 
except  Baptism,  Conflxmation,  and  Holy  Orders. 

Baptism  is  so  important  that  if  we  do  not  receive  it  we 
cannot  receive  any  other  of  the  sacraments.  Now,  to  ad- 
minister Baptism  validly,  that  is,  properly,  everything  must 
be  done  exactly  as  Our  Lord  intended  and  the  Church 
teaches.  The  proper  kind  of  water  and  all  the  exact  words  must 
be  used.  Also,  the  water  must  touch  the  body,  that  is,  the 
head,  if  possible.  Now  persons  not  knowing  well  how  to  bap- 
tize might  neglect  some  of  these  things,  and  thus  the  person 
would  not  be  baptized.  The  Church  wishes  to  be  certiiin  that 
all  its  children  are  baptized;  so  when  there  is  any  doubt  about 
the  first  baptism,  it  baptizes  again  conditionally,  that-  is,  the 
priest  says  in  giving  the  baptism  over  again :  If  you  are  not 
baptized  already,  I  baptize  you  now.  Therefore  if  the  person 
was  rightly  baptized  the  first  time,  the  second  ceremony  has 
no  effect;  because  the  priest  does  not  intend  to  give  Baptism 
a  second  time.  But  if  the  first  Baptism  was  not  rightly  given, 
then  the  second  takes  effect.  In  either  case  Baptism  is  given 
only  once;  for  if  the  first  was  valid,  the  second  is  not  given; 
and  if  the  first  was  invalid,  the  second  is  given. 

Converts  to  the  Church  are  generally  baptized  condition- 


On  the  Sacraments  in  General.  157 

ally,  because  there  is  doubt  about  the  validity  of  the  iiai^tism 
they  received. 

The  sacramenta  may  be  given  conditionally  when  we  doubt 
if  they  were  or  can  be  validly  given. 

*  149  Q.  Why  can  we  not  receive  Baptism,  Confirma- 
tion, and  Holy  Orders  more  than  once? 

A.  We  cannot  receive  Baptism,  Confirmation,  and 
Holy  Orders  more  than  once,  because  they  impiint  a 
character  in  the  soul. 

"  A  character."  It  is  a  spiritual  character,  and  remains 
forever,  so  that  whether  the  person  is  in  heaven  or  hell  this 
mai-k  will  be  seen.  It  will  show  that  those  having  it  were 
Christians,  who  received  Baptism,  Confirmation,  or  Holy 
Orders.  If  they  are  in  heaven,  these  characters  will  shine  out 
to  their  honor,  and  will  show  how  well  they  used  the  grace 
God  gave  them.  If  they  are  in  hell,  these  characters  will  be 
to  their  disgrace,  and  show  how  many  gifts  and  graces  God 
bestowed  upon  them,  and  how  shamefully  they  abused  all. 

*  150  Q.  What  is  the  character  which  these  sacra- 
ments imprint  in  the  soul? 

A.  The  character  which  these  sacraments  imprint  in 
the  soul  is  a  spiritual  mark  which  remains  forever. 

*  151  Q.  Does  this  character  remain  in  the  soul  even 
after  death? 

A.  This  character  remains  in  the  soul  even  aftei 
death :  for  the  honor  and  glory  of  those  who  are  saved  -• 
for  the  shame  and  punishment  of  those  who  are  lost. 


168  On  Baptism. 


LESSON   FOURTEENTH. 
ON  BAPTISM. 

152  Q.  What  is  Baptism? 

A.  Baptism  is  a  sacrament  which  cleanses  us  from 
original  sin,  makes  us  Christians,  children  of  God,  and 
heirs  of  heaven. 

"  Christians,"  that  is,  members  of  the  Church  of  Christ. 
"Children  of  God,"  that  is,  adopted  children.  All  men  are 
children  of  God  by  their  creation,  but  Christians  are  children 
of  God,  not  merely  by  creation,  but  also  by  grace  and  union 
with  Our  Lord.  "Heirs  of  heaven."  An  heir  is  one  who 
inherits  property,  money,  or  goods  at  the  death  of  another. 
These  things  are  left  by  a  will  or  given  by  the  laws  of  the 
State,  when  the  person  dies  without  making  a  will.  A  will  is 
a  written  statement  in  which  a  person  declares  what  he  wishes 
to  have  done,  at  his  death,  with  whatever  he  possesses — the 
charitable  objects  or  the  persons  to  whom  he  wishes  to  leave 
his  goods.  This  will  is  called  also  the  last  testament.  It  is 
signed  by  witnesses,  and  after  the  death  of  the  testator  is  com- 
mitted to  the  care  of  a  person — called  the  executor — whose 
business  it  is  to  see  that  all  stated  in  the  will  or  testament  is 
Darried  out.  There  is  an  officer  in  the  State  to  take  these  things 
in  hand  and  settle  them  according  to  law,  when  the  amount  left 
is  large,  and  there  is  a  dispute  about  it.  You  can  understand 
better  now  why  we  call  the  Bible  the  Old  and  the  New  Testa- 
ment. When  Our  Lord  died  we  were  left  an  inheritance  and 
spiritual  property.  The  inheritance  was  heaven,  which  we  had 
lost  through  the  sin  of  Adam  and  regained  by  the  death  of 
Our  Lord.  The  spiritual  property  was  God's  grace,  which  He 
merited  for  us.  The  Old  Testament  contains  the  promise  of 
what  Our  Lord  would  leave  us  at  His  death,  and  the  New 


On  Baptism.  159 

Xestament  shews  that  He  kept  His  promise  and  did  leave 
what  He  said.  The  Old  Testament  was  written  before  He 
died,  and  the  New  Testament  after  His  death.  The  witnesses 
of  these  testaments  were  the  patriarchs,  prophets,  apostles, 
and  evangelists,  who  heard  God  making  the  promises  through 
the  inspiration  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  The  Church  is  the  execu- 
tor of  Christ^s  will,  and  it  is  its  business  to  see  that  all  men 
receive  what  Christ  left  them,  namely,  God's  grace  and  heaven. 
It  must  also  see  that  they  are  not  cheated  out  of  it  by  their 
enemies — the  devil,  the  world,  and  the  flesh. 

153  Q.  Are  actual  sins  ever  remitted  by  baptism? 

A.  Actual  sins  and  all  the  punishment  due  to  them 
are  remitted  by  baptism,  if  the  person  baptized  be 
guilty  of  any. 

We  know  that  baptism  remits  original  sin.  But  suppose  a 
person  is  not  baptized  till  he  is  twenty-five  or  thirty  years  old; 
he  has  surely  committed  some  sins  since  he  was  seven  years 
of  age — the  time  at  which  he  received  the  use  of  reason. 
Now  the  question  asks,  Are  all  his  sins,  those  he  committed 
himself  as  well  as  the  original  sin,  forgiven  by  baptism  ?  The 
answer  is.  Yes.  All  his  sins  are  forgiven,  so  that  he  has  not 
to  confess  them.  But  he  must  be  heartily  sorry  for  them  and 
have  the  firm  determination  of  never  committing  them  again, 
just  as  in  confession.  Moreover,  that  he  may  not  have  to 
confess  these  sins,  we  must  be  absolutely  certain  that  he  was 
never  baptized  before.  Besides  remitting  the  sins  themselves, 
baptism  remits  all  the  temporal  punishment  due  to  them. 

In  the  Sacrament  of  Penance  the  sinner  is  saved  from  the 
eternal  punishment — that  is,  hell — and  from  part  of  the  tem- 
poral punishment.  But  although  the  sins  have  been  forgiven, 
the  sinner  must  make  satisfaction  to  God  for  the  insult 
offered  by  his  sins. 

Therefore,  he  must  suffer  punishment  in  this  world  or  in 
purgatory.  We  call  this  punishment  temporal,  because  it  will 
not  last  forever.  You  can  make  this  satisfaction  to  God 
while  on  earth,  and  thus  flwtjid  Dinr»>'  of  the  temporal  punish- 


160  On  Baptism. 

ment  by  prayers,  fasting,  gaining  indulgences,  alms,  and  good 
works  ;  and  even  by  bearing  your  suflurings,  trials,  and  afflic- 
tions patiently,  and  offering  them  up  to  God  in  satisfaction 
for  your  sins. 

In  baptism  both  the  eternal  and  temporal  guilt  are  washed 
away;  so  that  if  a  person  just  baptized  died  immediately,  he 
would  go  directly  to  heaven,  not  to  purgatoiy  :  because  per 
6ons  go  to  purgatory  to  pay  off  the  temporal  guilt.  Neither 
could  that  person  gain  an  indulgence,  because  indulgences 
flre  only  to  help  us  to  pay  the  temporal  debt.  Neither  could 
that  person  receive  the  Sacrament  of  Penance,  because  pen- 
ance remits  only  sins  committed  after  baptism,  and  that  per- 
son had  no  sins  to  remit,  because  he  died  just  after  receiving 
baptism.  See,  then,  the  goodness  of  Our  Lord  in  instituting 
i)aptism,  to  forgive  everything  and  leave  us  as  free  from 
guilt  as  our  first  parents  were  when  God  created  them. 

1&4  Q.  Is  baptism  necessary  to  salvation  ? 
A.  Baptism  is  necessary  to  salvation,  because  without 
it  we  cannot  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

Those  who  through  no  fault  of  theirs  die  without  bap- 
tism, though  they  have  never  committed  sin,  cannot  enter 
heaven, — neither  will  they  go  to  hell.  After  the  last  judg- 
ment there  will  be  no  purgatory.  Where,  then,  will  they  go? 
God  in  His  goodness  will  provide  a  place  of  rest  for  them, 
where  they  will  not  suffer  and  will  be  in  a  state  of  natural 
peace;  but  they  will  never  see  God  or  heaven.  God  might 
have  created  us  for  a  purely  natural  and  material  end,  so 
that  we  would  live  forever  upon  the  earth  and  be  naturally 
happy  with  the  good  things  God  would  give  us.  But  then 
we  would  never  have  known  of  heaven  or  God  as  we  do  now. 
Such  happiness  on  earth  would  be  nothing  compared  to  the 
delights  of  heaven  and  the  presence  of  God;  so  that  now, 
since  God  has  given  us,  through  Ilis  holy  revelations,  a 
knowledge  of  Himself  a^id  heaven,  we  would  be  miserable  if 
left  always  upon  the  earih.  Those,  taen,  who  die  without 
baptism  do  not  know  what  they  have  lost,  and  are  naturally 


On  Baptism.  161 

happy;  but  we  who  know  all  they  have  lost  for  want  of  bap 
tism  know  how  very  unfortunate  they  are. 

Think,  then,  what  a  terrible  crime  it  is  to  wilfully  allow 
any  one  to  die  without  baptism,  or  to  deprive  a  little  child  of 
life  before  it  can  be  baptized!  Suppose  all  the  members  of  a 
family  but  one  little  infant  have  been  baptized  ;  when  the 
day  of  judgment  comes,  while  all  the  other  members  of  a 
family — father,  mother,  and  children — may  go  into  heaven,  that 
little  one  will  have  to  remain  out ;  that  little  brother  or  sister 
will  be  separated  from  its  family  forever,  and  never,  never  see 
God  or  heaven.  How  heartless  and  cruel,  then,  must  a  person 
be  who  would  deprive  that  little  infant  of  happiness  for  all 
eternity — just  that  its  mother  or  some  one  else  might  have  a 
little  less  trouble  or  suffering  here  upon  earth. 

155  Q.  Who  can  administer  baptism? 

A.  The  priest  is  the  ordinary  minister  of  baptism; 
but  in  case  of  necessity  any  one  who  has  the  use  of 
reason  may  baptize. 

''Ordinary" — that  is,  the  one  who  has  a  right  to  baptize 
and  generally  does  ;  others  can  baptize  only  in  case  of  neces- 
sity. 

"  Priest "  and  all  above  him — bishops,  and  the  Pope ;  for 
they  have  all  the  power  the  priest  has,  and  more  besides. 
"Minister"'  is  the  name  given  here  to  one  who  performs  any 
of  the  sacred  rites  or  ceremonies  of  the  Church.  "  Necessity." 
When  the  ordinary  minister  cannot  be  had  and  when  baptism 
must  be  given;  for  if  it  is  not  absolutely  necessary  to  give 
the  baptism,  then  you  must  wait  for  the  ordinary  minister. 

"  Any  one."  Even  persons  not  Catholics  or  not  Christians 
may,  in  case  of  necessity,  baptize  a  person  wishing  to  receive 
baptism,  jf  they  know  how  to  baptize  and  seriously  wisli  to 
do  what  the  Church  of  Christ  does  when  it  baptizes.  You 
cannot  baptize  a  person  against  his  will.  Neither  can  you 
baptize  an  infant  whose  parents  are  unwilling  to  have  the 
child  baptized,  or  when  the  child  will  not  be  brought  up  in 


162  On  Baptism. 

the  Catliolic  religion.  But  if  tlie  child  is  dying,  it  can  and 
should  be  baptized,  even  without  the  consent  of  the  parents. 
"Use  of  reason."  Because  the  person  must  intend  to  do 
what  Our  Lord  ordered  to  be  done  in  giving  baptism  ;  and  a 
little  child  could  not  understand,  and  could  not  therefore 
baptize. 

156  Q.  How  is  baptism  given? 

A.  Whoever  baptizes  should  pour  water  on  the  head 
of  the  person  to  be  baptized,  and  say,  wMle  pouring  the 
water:  I  baptize  thee  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  ol 
the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

When  the  priest  baptizes  in  the  church,  he  uses  conse^ 
crated  water — that  is,  water  blessed  for  that  purpose  on  Holy 
Saturday,  and  mixed  with  holy  oil.  When  he  or  any  other, 
in  case  of  necessity,  baptizes  in  a  private  house,  he  may  usb 
plain,  clean  water,  and  he  baptizes  without  the  other  cere- 
monies used  in  the  church.  Remember,  in  baptism  you  can 
use  ordinary  clean  water,  warm  or  cold.  When  the  priest  or 
any  one  baptizes  by  simply  pouring  the  water  and  pronounc- 
ing the  words  of  baptism,  we  call  it  private  baptism.  The 
baptism  given  in  church  with  all  the  ceremonies  is  called 
solemn  baptism.  Any  person  baptized  privately  should  be 
brought  to  the  church  afterwards  to  ha.e  the  rest  of  the  cere- 
monies performed. 

It  will  increase  your  respect  for  the  sacrament  to  know 
what  ceremonies  aie  used  in  solemn  baptism,  and  what  they 
signify.  The  following  things  must  be  prepared :  the  holy 
oils,  a  little  salt,  a  little  pitcher  or  something  similar  to  pour 
the  water  from,  a  vessel  to  receive  the  water  when  poured, 
some  cotton,  two  stoles,  one  white  and  one  purple,  towels, 
a  white  cloth,  candle,  and  candlestick. 

All  being  ready,  the  person  holding  the  infant  takes  it  on 
the  right  arm,  face  up,  and  the  priest,  having  learned  the 
name  it  is  to  be  given,  begins  by  asking  the  one  to  be  bap- 
tized, "What  do  you  ask  of  the  Church  of  God?"  And  the 
godparents  answer   fe-  the  child,  "Faith."     If   the  person 


On  Baptism.  163 

receiving  Daptism  is  capable  of  answering  for  himself,  he 
must  do  so.  Then  the  priest  exhorts  the  cliild  to  Iceep 
the  commandments  and  love  God;  then  he  breathes  three 
times  upon  it  and  bids  the  evil  spirit  depart.  He  next  prays 
for  the  child  and  puts  a  little  salt  into  its  mouth,  as  a  sign  of 
the  wisdom  that  Faitli  gives,  and  again  prays  for  the  child. 
Then  he  places  the  end  of  his  stole  over  it  as  a  sign  that  it  is 
led  into  the  Church ;  for  baptism  is  given  in  a  place  called 
the  baptistery,  railed  off  from  the  church  and  near  the  door^ 
because  formerly  the  ceremony  up  to  this  point  was  per- 
formed outside  the  church,  and  at  this  part  of  the  ceremony 
the  person  was  led  in  to  be  baptized.  Then  before  baptism  the 
person  says  the  Creed  and  the  Our  Father  ;  for  when  a  grown 
person  is  to  be  baptized  he  must  first  be  instructed  in  all  the 
truths  of  religion,  and  he  must  say  the  Creed  to  show  that  he 
believes  them.  Again  the  priest  prays  and  places  a  little 
spittle  on  the  ears  and  nose  of  the  child,  using  at  the  same 
time  the  words  used  by  Our  Lord  when  He  spit  upon  the 
ground,  and  rubbing  the  spittle  and  clay  upon  the  eyes  of 
the  blind  man,  healed  him  (John  ix.  6).  The  priest  next 
asks  the  child  if  it  renounces  the  devil  and  all  his  works  and 
pomps — that  is,  vanities  and  empty  shows  ;  and  having  re- 
ceived the  answer  anoints  it  with  holy  oil  on  the  breast  and 
back.  Then  he  again  asks  for  a  profession  of  faith,  and 
finally  baptizes  it.  After  baptism  he  anoints  its  head  with 
holy  chrism,  places  a  white  cloth  upon  it  to  signify  the  purity 
it  received  in  baptism,  and  as  a  sign  that  it  must  keep  its 
soul  free  from  sin.  Then  he  places  in  its  hand  a  lighted  can- 
dle, to  signify  the  light  of  faith  it  has  received  in  baptism. 
We  are  baptized  at  the  door  of  the  church  to  show  that  with- 
out baptism  we  are  out  of  the  Church.  We  are  often  signed 
with  the  sign  of  the  cross  to  remind  us  that  our  salvation  is 
due  to  the  cross  and  passion  of  Our  Lord.  The  priest's  stole 
is  placed  over  us  to  show  that  the  Church  takes  us  under  its 
protection  and  shields  us  from  the  power  of  the  devil.  We 
are  anointed  as  a  sign  that  we  are  freed  from  our  sins  and 
strengthened  to  fight  for  Christ.     The  white  cloth  or  garment 


164  On  Baptism. 

is  placed  upon  us  to  remind  us  of  the  glory  of  the  Resurreo 
tion  ;  the  liglit  is  placed  in  our  hand  to  show  that  we  should 
burn  with  Christian  charity. 

*  157  Q.  How  many  kinds  of  baptism  are  there  ? 

A.  There  are  three  kinds  of  baptism:  baptism  oi 
water,  of  desire,  and  of  blood. 

*  158  Q.  What  is  baptism  of  water? 

A.  Baptism  of  water  is  that  which  is  given  by  pour, 
ing  water  on  the  head  of  the  person  to  be  baptized,  and 
saying  at  the  same  time,  I  baptize  thee  in  the  name  ol 
the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

*  159.  Q.  What  is  baptism  of  desire  ? 

A.  Baptism  of  desire  is  an  ardent  wish  to  receive 
baptism,  and  to  do  all  that  God  has  ordained  for  our  sal- 
vation. 

"  Ardent  wish  "  by  one  who  has  no  opportunity  of  being 
baptized — for  no  one  can  baptize  himself.  He  must  be  sorry 
for  his  sins  and  have  the  desire  of  receiving  the  baptism  of 
water  as  soon  as  he  can;  just  as  a  person  in  mortal  sin  and 
without  a  priest  to  absolve  him  may,  when  in  danger  of  death, 
BJive  his  soul  from  hell  by  an  act  of  perfect  contrition  and 
the  firm  resolution  of  going  to  confession  as  soon  as  possible. 
Baptism  of  desire  would  be  useful  and  necessary  if  there  was 
no  water  at  hand  or  no  person  to  baptize;  or  if  the  one  wishing 
to  be  baptized  and  those  about  him  did  not  know  exactly  how 
baptism  was  to  be  given — which  might  easily  happen  in  pagan 
lands.  One  thing  you  must  especially  remember  in  giving 
baptism  in  case  of  necessity:  namely,  that  it  would  not  do  for 
one  person  to  pour  the  water  and  another  to  say  the  words. 
The  same  person  must  do  both,  or  the  baptism  will  not  be  valid. 
If  you  are  called  to  baptize  in  case  of  necessit}',  be  very  careful 
to  observe  the  following  points,  otherwise  the  baptism  will 
not  be  valid :  use  clean  water  and  nothing  but  water — no  other 
'^nuid  would  do.    Say  every  one  of  the  exact  words:   **  1  bap 


On  Baptism.  165 

tize  thee  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and 
of  the  Holy  Ghost."  It  would  not  do  to  say,  "I  baptize 
thee  in  the  name  of  God;"  or,  **I  baptize  thee  in  the  name 
of  the  Blessed  Trinity; "  nor  would  it  do  to  say  simply,  "  In 
the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,"  without  saying,  "I  baptize  thee."  Say  the  words  at 
the  same  time  you  pour  the  water,  and  be  sure  the  water 
touches  the  skin.  It  would  not  do  to  pour  the  water  simply 
on  the  hair.  You  must  not  sprinkle  the  water,  but  pour  it 
upon  the  head. 

When  you  have  followed  the  above  instructions  carefully 
and  are  sure  you  have  baptized  properly,  never  under  any  cir- 
cumstances repeat  the  baptism  on  the  same  person.  It  is  a 
sin  to  try  to  baptize  more  than  once  when  you  know  baptism 
can  be  given  only  once.  The  sight  of  the  person  dying  and 
the  fact  that  you  are  called  for  the  first  time  may  cause  you 
to  be  somewhat  excited;  but  be  calm,  remember  the  impor- 
tance of  the  sacrament,  and  you  will  administer  it  as  directed. 
Parents  should  not  baptize  their  own  children  in  case  of 
necessity,  if  there  is  any  other  person  present  who  can  validly 
do  it.  Remember  those  who  administer  baptism  contract  a 
spiritual  relationship  with  the  person  they  baptize  and  with 
his  parents.  If  they  wished,  years  afterwards,  to  marry  either 
the  person  they  baptized  or  the  parents  of  the  person,  they 
must  make  this  relationship  known  to  the  priest. 

Sponsors  are  not  necessary  in  private  baptism.  A  person 
may  be  sponsor  for  a  child  in  baptism  without  being  present 
at  the  baptism,  provided  some  one  else  holds  the  child  in  his 
name  and  answers  the  questions  he  himself  would  answer  if  he 
were  present.  Such  a  sponsor  is  said  to  stand  for  the  child 
by  proxy,  and  he,  and  not  the  one  who  holds  the  child,  is  then 
the  real  godparent  when,  at  the  request  of  the  parents  or  priest, 
he  has  consented  to  be  sponsor. 

*  JQO  Q.  What  is  baptism  of  blood? 
A'  Baptism  of  blood  is  the  shedding  of  one's  blood 
for  thp  faith  of  rshrist. 


166  On  Baptism. 

Baptism  of  blood,  called  martyrdom,  is  received  by  those 
who  were  not  baptized  with  water,  but  were  put  to  death  for 
their  Catholic  faith.  This  takes  place  even  nowadays  in 
pagan  countries  where  the  missionaries  are  trying  to  convert 
the  poor  natives.  These  pagans  have  to  be  instructed  before 
they  are  baptized.  They  do  everything  required  of  them,  let 
as  suppose,  and  are  waiting  for  the  day  of  baptism.  Those 
who  are  being  thus  instructed  are  called  Catechumens.  Some 
day,  while  they  are  attending  their  instructions,  the  enemies 
of  religion  rush  down  upon  them  and  put  them  to  death. 
They  do  not  resist,  but  willingly  suffer  death  for  the  sake  of  the 
true  religion.  They  are  martyrs  then  and  are  baptized  in 
their  own  blood;  although,  as  we  said  above,  blood  would  not 
do  for  an  ordinary  baptism  even  when  we  could  not  get  water; 
BO  that  if  a  person  drew  blood  from  his  own  body  and  asked  to 
be  baptized  with  it,  the  baptism  would  not  be  valid.  Neither 
would  they  be  martyrs  if  put  to  death  not  for  religion  ot  vir- 
tue but  for  some  other  reason — say  political. 

*  161  Q.  Is  baptism  of  desire  or  blood  sufficient  to 
produce  the  effects  of  baptism  of  water  ? 

A.  Baptism  of  desire  or  of  blood  is  sufficient  to  pro- 
duce the  effects  of  the  baptism  of  water,  if  it  is  impos- 
sible to  receive  the  baptism  of  water. 

*  162  Q.  What  do  we  promise  in  baptism? 

A.  In  baptism  we  promise  to  renounce  the  devil 
with  all  his  works  and  pomps. 

*  163  Q.  Why  is  the  name  of  a  saint  given  in  baptism? 
A.  The  name  of  a  saint  is  given  in  baptism  in  order 

that  the  person  baptized  may  imitate  his  virtues  and 
have  him  for  a  protector. 

The  saint  whose  name  we  bear  is  called  our  patron  saint 
This  saint  has  a  special  love  for  us  and  a  special  care  over  us. 
People  take  the  names  of  great  men  because  they  admire  their 
good  qualities  or  their  great  deeds.  So  we  take  saints'  names 
because  we  admire  their  Christian  virtues  and  great  Christian 


On  Baptism.  167 

deeds.  We  should,  therefore,  read  the  life  of  our  patron 
saint  and  try  to  imitate  his  virtues,  and  the  day  on  which  the 
Church  celebrates  the  feast  of  our  patron  saint  should  be  a 
great  day  for  us  also.  The  Church  generally  celebrates  the 
saint's  feast  on  the  day  on  which  he  died,  that  is,  as  we  be- 
lieve, the  day  on  which  he  entered  into  heaven. 

*  164  Q.  Why  are  godfathers  and  godmothers  given  in 
baptism  ? 

A.  Godfathers  and  godmothers  are  given  in  baptism 
in  order  that  they  may  promise  in  the  name  of  the  child 
what  the  child  itself  would  promise  if  it  had  the  use  of 
reason. 

*  165  Q.  What  is  the  obligation  of  a  godfather  and 
a  godmother? 

A.  The  obligation  of  a  godfather  and  a  godmother  is 
to  instruct  the  child  in  its  religious  duties  if  the  parents 
neglect  to  do  so  or  die. 

This  is  a  very  important  obligation,  and  we  should  be 
faithful  in  the  fulfilment  of  it  before  God.  Godfathers  and 
godmothers  are  also  called  sponsors.  The  following  persons 
cannot  be  sponsors:  (1)  All  persons  not  Catholics,  because 
they  cannot  teach  the  child  the  Catholic  religion  if  they  do 
not  know  it  themselves.  (2)  All  persons  who  are  publicly 
leading  bad  lives;  for  how  can  they  give  good  example  and 
teach  their  godchild  to  be  good  when  they  themselves  are 
public  sinners  ?  (3)  All  persons  who  are  ignorant  of  their 
religion  should  not  take  upon  themselves  the  duties  of  god- 
parents. Therefore  parents  should  select  as  sponsors  for 
their  children  only  good,  practical  Catholics — not  Catholics 
merely  in  name,  but  those  who  live  up  to  their  faith,  and 
who  will  be  an  example  for  their  children.  To  repeat  what 
has  already  been  said,  godparents  contract  a  spiritual  relation- 
ship, and  in  the  event  of  their  marriage,  they  must  make 
known  this  relationship  to  the  priest.  The  godfather  and 
the  godmother  do  not  contract  a  relationship  between  them- 


168  On  Baptism. 

selves,  but  only  with  the  child  and  its  parents;  so  that 
neither  the  godfather  nor  the  godmother  could  marry  the 
child  or  its  parents  without  first  obtaining  a  dispensation; 
that  is,  permission  from  the  Church  granted  by  the  bishop  or 
Pope.  With  regard  to  names,  parents  should  never  be  induced 
by  any  motive  to  give  their  child  some  foolish  or  fancy  name 
taken  from  books,  places,  or  things.  Above  all,  they  should 
never  select  the  name  of  any  enemy  of  the  Church  or  unbe- 
liever, but  the  name  of  one  of  God's  saints  who  will  be  a 
model  for  the  child.  Whatever  name  is  taken,  if  it  be  not 
a  saint's  name,  the  name  of  some  saint  should  be  given  as  a 
middle  name.  If  this  has  been  omitted  in  baptism,  it  should 
be  supplied  in  confirmation,  at  which  time  a  new  name  can 
be  added.  Again,  if  a  saint's  name  has  been  taken  in  baptism 
it  should  not  be  shortened  or  changed  so  as  to  mean  nothing; 
as,  for  example,  Mazie,  Miz,  etc.,  for  Mary.  When  your 
correct  name  is  mentioned  your  saint  is  honored,  and  I  might 
say  invoked,  because  it  should  remind  you  of  him.  For  that 
reason  you  should  not  have  meaningless  or  foolish  pet  names, 
known  only  to  your  family  or  your  friends. 


On  Confirmation,  169 


LESSON  FIFTEENTH. 
ON  CONFIRMATION. 

166  Q.  What  is  conjarmation  ? 

A.  Confirmation  is  a  sacrament  throi'gh  which  we  re- 
ceive the  Holy  Ghost  to  make  us  strong  and  perfect 
Christians  and  soldiers  of  Jesus  Christ. 

In  baptism  we  are  made  Christians,  but  we  are  not  very 
strong  in  our  faith  till  the  Holy  Ghost  comes  in  confirmation. 
You  remember  how  timid  the  apostles  were  before  the  coming 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  how  firm  and  determined  in  their 
faith  they  were  afterwards;  and  how  fearlessly  they  preached 
even  to  those  who  crucified  Our  Lord.  "  Soldiers,"  because 
we  must  fight  for  our  salvation  against  our  three  enemies,  the 
devil,  the  world,  and  the  flesh.  Our  Lord  is  our  great  leader 
in  this  warfare,  and  we  must  follow  Him  and  fight  as  He 
directs.  A  soldier  that  fights  as  he  pleases  and  not  as  his 
general  commands,  will  surely  be  beaten. 

167  Q.  Who  can  administer  confirmation? 

A,  The  bishop  is  the  ordinary  minister  of  confirma- 
tion. 

"  Ordinary,"  because  in  some  very  distant  countries  where 
on  account  of  the  small  number  of  Christians  they  have  as 
yet  no  bishops,  the  Pope  allows  some  priest  to  give  con- 
firmation; but  then  he  must  use  the  holy  oil  consecrated  by 
a  bishop,  and  cannot  consecrate  oil  himself. 

168  Q.  How  does  the  bishop  give  confirmation? 

A.  The  bishop  extends  his  hands  over  those  who  are 
to  be  confirmed,  prays  that  they  may  receive  the  Holy 
Ghost,  and  anoints  the  forehead  of  each  with  holy 
chrism  in  the  form  of  a  cross. 

*  169  Q.  What  is  holy  chrism? 
A.  Holy  chrism  is  a  mixture  of  olive  oil  and  balm, 
consecrated  by  the  bishop. 


170  On  Confirmation. 

The  oil  signifies  the  strength  we  receive,  and  the  balm  that 
we  should  be  free  from  the  corruption  of  sin.,  and  give  forth 
the  sweetness  of  virtue. 

170  Q.  What  does  the  bishop  say  in  anointing  the 
person  he  confirms  ? 

A.  In  anointing  the  person  he  conflrms  the  bishop 
says:  I  sign  thee  with  the  sign  of  the  cross,  and  I  con- 
firm thee  with  the  chrism  of  salvation,  in  the  name  of 
the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

•  171  Q.  What  is  meant  by  anointing  the  forehead 
with  chrism  in  the  form  of  a  cross  ? 

A.  By  anointing  the  forehead  with  chrism  in  the 
form  of  a  cross  is  meant,  that  the  Christian  who  is  con- 
firmed must  openly  profess  and  practise  his  faith,  never 
be  ashamed  of  it,  and  rather  die  than  deny  it. 

"  Openly  profess  " — that  is,  acknowledge  that  he  is  a  Catho- 
lic when  it  is  necessary  to  do  so.  He  need  not  proclaim  it 
in  the  streets.  "Practise  "  it  without  regard  for  what  other 
people  think,  say,  or  do.  *'  Ashamed "  of  a  religion  so 
glorious  as  the  Catholic  religion?  Would  we  not  be  proud  to 
belong  to  a  society  of  which  kings  and  princes  were  members  ? 
Well,  a  few  centuries  ago  nearly  all  the  kings,  princes,  and 
great  men  of  the  earth  were  Catholics.  All  the  saints  were 
Catholics.  All  the  popes  were  Catholics.  At  present  over 
two  hundred  million  people  in  the  world  are  Catholics.  This 
Church  was  founded  when  Christ  Our  Lord  was  on  earth,  and 
is  nearly  two  thousand  years  old.  All  the  other  churches 
are  only  a  few  hundred  years  old.  We  ought,  therefore,  to 
be  proud  of  our  religion,  for  which  and  m  which  so  many 
noble  persons  died.  We  should  feel  proud  that  we  are 
Catholics;  while  Protestants  should  feel  ashamed  in  our 
presence,  for  they  have  deserted  the  true  standard  of  Christ, 
and  followed  some  other  leader  who  set  up  a  religion  of  his 
own  in  opposition  to  the  true  Church  of  Our  Lord.  They 
will  not  have  the  cross  or  crucifix,  the  standard  of  Christ,  m 
their  churches  or  houses  or  about  their  persons,  and  yet  they 
claim  to  be  Christians  redeemed  by  the  cross.     We  are  called 


On  Confirmation.  171 

npon  to  defend  or  profess  our  religion  wlieu  we  liave  to  do 
what  the  Church  and  God  require  us  to  do:  for  example, hear 
Mass  on  Sundays  and  holy-days;  abstain  from  the  use  of  flesh- 
meat  on  Fridays,  fast-days,  and  the  like,  when  we  are  among 
persons  not  Catholics. 

*  172  Q.  Why  does  the  bishop  give  the  person  he 
conflrms  a  slight  blow  on  the  cheek? 

A.  The  bishop  gives  the  person  he  confirms  a  slight 
blow  on  the  cheek  to  put  him  in  mind  that  he  must  be 
ready  to  sufifer  everything,  even  death,  for  the  sake  of 
Christ. 

173  Q.  To  receive  confirmation  worthily  is  it  neces- 
sary to  be  in  the  state  of  grace  ? 

A.  To  receive  confirmation  worthily  it  is  necessary  to 
be  in  the  state  of  grace. 

*  174  Q.  What  special  preparation  shoiild  be  made  to 
receive  confirmation? 

A.  Persons  of  an  age  to  learn  should  know  the  chief 
mysteries  of  faith  and  the  duties  of  a  Christian,  and  be 
instructed  in  the  nature  and  effects  of  this  sacrament. 

How  can  one  be  a  good  soldier  who  does  not  know  the 
rules  and  regulations  of  the  army  nor  understand  the  com- 
mands of  his  general  ?  How  can  one  be  a  good  Christian  who 
does  not  understand  the  laws  of  the  Church  and  the  teachings 
of  Christ  ?  The  "  nature" — that  is,  understand  the  sacrament 
itself.     "  Effects" — that  is,  what  it  does  in  our  souls. 

175  Q.  Is  It  a  sin  to  neglect  confirmation? 

A.  It  is  a  sin  to  neglect  confirmation,  especially  in 
these  evil  days  when  faith  and  morals  are  exposed  to  so 
many  and  such  violent  temptations. 

"  Temptations" — from  the  sayings  and  writings  of  the  ene- 
mies of  religion.  To  neglect  it  when  we  have  an  opportunity 
of  receiving  it  without  any  very  great  difficulty  would  be  a  sin. 
When  persons  have  been  unfortunate  enough  to  grow  up  with- 
out confirmation,  they  shou^  i  come  at  any  time  in  their  lives 
to  receive  it,  and  not  be  ashj  med  to  do  so  on  account  of  thei» 
aee  or  condition  in  life. 


172        On  the  Gifts  and  Fruits  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 


LESSON  SIXTEENTH. 
ON  THE  GIFTS  AND  FRUITS  OF  THE  HOLY  GHOST. 

*  176  Q.  What  are  the  eflfects  of  confirmation? 

The  effects  of  confirmation  are  an  increase  of  sancti- 
fying grace,  the  strengthening  of  our  faith,  and  the  gifts 
of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

"  Increase,"  because  we  must  be  in  a  state  of  grace,  that 
is,  having  already  sanctifying  grace  in  our  souls  when  we 
receive  confirmation.  "  Strengthening,"  so  that  we  have  no 
doubt  about  the  doctrines  we  believe. 

*  177  Q.  What  are  the  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost? 

A.  The  gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost  are  wisdom,  under- 
standing, counsel,  fortitude,  knowledge,  piety,  and  fear 
of  the  Lord. 

*  178  Q.  Why  do  we  receive  the  gift  of  fear  of  the 
Lord? 

A.  We  receive  the  gift  of  fear  of  the  Lord  to  fill  us 
with  a  dread  of  sin. 

On  account  of  the  goodness  of  God  and  the  punishment 
He  can  inflict. 

*  179  Q.  Why  do  we  receive  the  gift  of  piety? 

A.  We  receive  the  gift  of  piety  to  make  us  love  God 
as  a  Father,  and  obey  Him  because  we  love  Him. 

*  180  Q.  Why  do  we  receive  the  gift  of  knowledge? 
A.  We  receive  the  gift  of  knowledge  to  enable  us  to 

discover  the  will  of  God  ^^  sU  things. 


On  the  Gifts  and  Fruits  of  the  Holy  Ghost.        173 

*  181  Q.  Why  do  we  receive  the  gift  of  fortitude? 
A.  We  receive  the  gift  of  fortitude  to  strengthen  us 
to  do  the  will  of  God  in  all  things. 

Some  know  the  will  of  God, — what  they  should  do, — but 
they  have  not  the  courage  to  follow  the  dictates  of  their  con- 
science. For  example,  a  person  goes  with  bad  company:  the 
gift  of  knowledge  will  teach  him  that  he  should  give  it  up;» 
but  the  gift  of  fortitude  will  enable  him  to  do  what  his  con- 
science shows  him  to  be  right. 


*  182  Q.  Why  do  we  receive  the  gift  of  counsel? 
A.  We  receive  the  gift  of  counsel  to  warn  us  of  th 
deceits  of  the  devil,  and  of  the  dangers  to  salvation. 

The  devil  is  much  wiser  than  we  are,  and  has  much  mor 
experience,  being  among  the  people  of  the  world  ever  sincj 
the  time  of  Adam — about  6000  years.  He  could  therefore 
easily  deceive  and  overcome  us  if  God  Himself  by  the  gift  cf 
counsel  did  not  enable  us  to  discover  his  tricks  and  expose  his 
plots.  When  at  times  we  are  tempted,  our  conscience  warns 
us,  and  if  we  follow  the  warning  we  shall  escape  the  sin. 
Counsel  tells  us  when  persons  or  places  are  dangerous  for  our 
salvation. 


*  183  Q.  Why  do  we  receive  the  gift  of  understand- 
ing? 

A.  We  receive  the  gift  of  understanding  to  enable  us 
to  know  more  clearly  the  mysteries  of  faith. 

"  Mysteries,''  truths  we  could  never  know  by  reason,  but 
only  by  the  teaching  of  God;  and  the  gift  of  understanding 
enables  us  to  know  better  what  His  teaching  means.  The 
apostles  heard  and  knew  what  Our  Lord  taught,  but  they  did 
not  fully  understand  the  whole  meaning  till  the  Holy  Ghost 
had  come. 


174        On  the  Gifts  and  Fruits  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

*  184  Q.  Why  do  we  receive  the  gift  of  wisdom? 

A.  We  receive  the  gift  of  wisdom  to  give  us  a  relish 
for  the  things  of  God  and  to  direct  our  whole  life  and 
all  our  actions  to  His  honor  and  glory. 

"  Selish,"  a  liking  for,  a  desire  for. 

*  185  Q.  Which  are  the  beatitudes? 
A.  The  beatitudes  are: 

(1)  Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit,  for  theirs  is  the 
kingdom  of  heaven. 

(2)  Blessed  are  the  meek,  for  they  shall  possess  the 
land. 

(3)  Blessed  are  they  that  mourn,  for  they  shall  be 
comforted. 

(4)  Blessed  are  they  that  hunger  and  thirst  after 
justice,  for  they  shall  be  filled. 

(5)  Blessed  are  the  merciful,  for  they  shall  obtain 
mercy. 

(6)  Blessed  are  the  clean  of  heart,  for  they  shall  see 
God. 

(7)  Blessed  are  the  peacemakers,  foi:  they  shall  be 
called  the  children  of  God. 

(8)  Blessed  are  they  that  suffer  persecution  for  jus- 
tice' sake,  for  theirs  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

The  beatitudes  are  part  of  a  sermon  Our  Lord  once 
preached  to  the  people  on  the  Mount  (Matt.  v.).  When  Our 
Lord  wished  to  preach,  the  Jews  would  not  always  allow  Him 
to  enter  their  synagogues  or  meeting-houses ;  so  He  preached 
to  the  people  in  the  open  air.  Sometimes  He  stood  in  a  boat 
by  the  seashore  ;  sometimes  on  a  little  hill,  with  the  people 
standing  or  sitting  near  Him.  Did  you  ever  think  how  you 
would  have  acted  if  you  lived  at  that  time  and  were  present 
when  Our  Lord  preached?  How  anxious  you  would  have 
been  to  get  near  to  Him  ?  How  you  would  have  pushed  your 
way  through  the  crowd  and  listened  to  every  word?  Why, 
then,  do  you  sometimes  pay  so  little  attention  in  church  or  at 
instructions  when  the  worr'^  of  Our  I;nrf1  {tvf^  repeated  to  you  ? 


On  the  Gifts  and  Fruits  of  the  Holy  Ghost.        175 

Our  Lord  instituted  a  Church  which,  as  we  know,  is  some- 
times called  the  kingdom  of  heaven.  In  this  sermon  He  laid 
down  the  condition  for  being  good  subjects  of  His  kingdom; 
that  is.  He  gives  the  virtues  we  should  practise  to  be  good 
children  of  the  Church.  He  tells  us  what  rewards  we  shall 
have  for  practising  these  virtues  and  leading  a  holy  life: 
namely,  God's  grace  and  blessing  in  this  world  and  everlasting 
glory  in  heaven. 

(1)  "Poor  in  spirit."  One  is  poor  in  spirit  if  he  does  not 
set  his  heart  upon  riches  and  the  goods  of  this  world  in  such 
a  way  that  he  would  be  willing  to  offend  God  in  order  to  pos- 
sess them,  or  rather  than  part  with  them.  Thus  one  who  has 
no  money  but  who  would  do  anything  to  get  it,  would  be  poor, 
but  not  poor  in  spirit,  and  therefore  not  among  those  Our 
Lord  calls  blessed.  If  we  are  really  poor  and  wish  to  be  poor 
in  spirit  also,  we  must  be  contented  with  our  lot — with  what 
God  gives  us — and  never  complain  against  Him,  No  matter 
how  poor,  miserable,  or  afflicted  we  may  be,  we  could  still  be 
worse,  since  we  can  find  others  in  a  worse  condition  than  we 
are.  We  do  not  endure  every  species  of  misery,  but  only  this 
or  that  particular  kind;  and  if  the  rest  were  added,  how  much 
worse  our  condition  would  be  !  The  very  greatest  misery  is 
to  be  in  a  state  of  sin.  If  we  are  poor  and  in  sin,  our  condi- 
tion is  indeed  pitiable,  for  we  have  no  consolation;  but  if  we 
are  virtuous  in  poverty,  bearing  our  trials  in  patience  and 
resignation  for  the  love  of  God,  we  have  the  rich  treasures  of 
His  grace  and  every  assurance  of  future  happiness.  On  the 
other  hand,  if  one  is  very  rich  and  gives  freely  and  plentifully 
to  the  poor  and  works  of  charity,  and  is  willing  to  part  with 
riches  rather  than  offend  God,  such  a  one  is  poor  in  spirit 
and  can  be  called  blessed.  It  is  a  great  mistake  to  risk  our 
souls  for  things  we  must  leave  to  others  at  our  death.  Some- 
times those  who  leave  the  greatest  inheritance  are  soonest  for- 
gotten and  despised,  because  the  money  or  property  be- 
queathed gives  rise  to  numerous  law-suits,  quarrels  and  jeal- 
ousies among  the  relatives,  and  thus  becomes  a  very  curse  to 


176        On  the  Gifts  and  Fruits  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 

that  family,  whose  members  hate  one  another  on  its  account 
Or  it  may  happen  that  the  heirs  thoughtlessly  enjoy  and  fool- 
ishly squander  the  wealth  the  man,  now  dead,  has  labored 
BO  hard  to  accumulate,  while  he,  perhaps,  is  suffering  in 
hell  for  sins  coinuiitted  in  securing  it.  Again,  how  many 
children  have  been  ruined  through  the  wealth  left  them  by 
their  parents  I  Instead  of  using  it  for  good  purposes  they 
have  made  it  a  means  of  sin  ;  often  lose  their  faith  and  souls 
on  account  of  it  ;  and  in  their  ingratitude  never  offer  a  prayer 
or  give  an  alms  for  the  soul  of  the  parent,  who  in  his  anxiety 
to  leave  all  to  them  left  nothing  in  charity  to  the  Church  or 
the  poor.  Surely  it  is  the  greatest  folly  to  set  our  hearts 
upon  that  which  can  be  of  no  value  to  us  after  deatii.  When 
a  person  dies  men  ask:  AVhat  wealth  has  he  left  behind  ?  But 
God  and  the  angels  ask,  What  merits  has  he  sent  before  him? 

(2)  "Possess  the  land" — that  is,  the  promised  or  holy 
land,  which  was  a  figure  of  the  Church.  Therefore  it  means 
the  meek  shall  be  true  members  of  Our  Lord's  Church  here 
on  earth  and  hereafter  in  heaven,  and  be  beloved  by  all. 

(3)  "  That  mourn.''  Suffering  is  good  for  us  if  we  bear  it 
patiently.  It  makes  us  more  like  our  blessed  Lord,  Who  was 
called  the  Man  of  Sorrows. 

(4)  ''Justice" — that  is,  all  kinds  of  virtue. 

*' Filled" — that  is,  with  goodness  and  grace.  In  other 
words,  if  we  ask  and  really  wish  to  become  virtuous,  we  shall 
become  so.  St.  Joseph  is  called  in  Holy  Scripture  "a  just 
man,"  to  show  that  he  practised  every  virtue. 

(5)  If  we  are  "  merciful "  to  others,  God  will  be  merciful 
to  us. 

(6)  "Clean  of  heart" — that  is,  pure  in  thoughts,  words, 
deeds,  and  looks. 

(7)  "Peacemakers."  If  persons  who  try  to  makepeace 
and  settle  disputes  are  called  the  children  of  God,  those  who, 
on  the  contrary,  try  to  stir  up  dissensions  should  be  called  the 
children  of  the  devil,  Never  tell  the  evil  you  may  hear  of 
another,  especially  to  the  one  of  whom  it  was  spoken;  and 


On  lite  Gifts  and  Fruits  of  the  Holy  Ghost.        177 

never  carry  stories  from  one  to  another:  it  is  contemptible, 
and  sinful  as  well.  If  j^ou  have  nothing  good  to  say  of  the 
character  of  another,  be  silent,  unless  your  duty  compels  you 
to  speak'.  Never  be  a  child  of  the  devil  by  exciting  jealousy, 
hatred,  or  revenge  in  any  one;  but,  on  the  contrary,  make 
peace  wherever  you  can,  and  be  one  of  the  children  of  God. 

(8)  "Suffer  persecution."  Therefore,  when  you  are  badly 
treated  on  account  of  your  piety  or  religion,  rtmember  you 
are  like  the  martyrs  of  your  holy  faith,  suffering  for  virtue 
and  truth,  and  that  you  will  receive  your  reward. 

*  186  Q.  Which  are  the    twelve    fruits  of  the    Holy 
Ghost  ? 

A.  The  twelve  fruits  of  he  Holy  Ghost  are  charity, 
joy,  peace,  patience,  benigni+v,  goodness,  long-suflfering, 
mildness,  faith,  modesty,  continency,  and  chastity. 

"  Fruits,"  the  things  that  grow  from  the  gifts  of  the 
Holy  Ghost.  "  Charity,"  love  of  God  and  our  neighbor. 
"  Peace"  with  God  and  man  and  ourselves.  With  God,  be- 
cause we  are  His  friends.  With  man,  because  we  deal  justly 
with  all  and  are  kind  to  all.  With  ourselves,  because  we 
have  a  good  conscience,  that  does  not  accuse  us  of  sin.  "Be- 
.Jiignity,"  disposition  to  do  good  and  show  kindness.  "  Long- 
juffering" — same  as  patience.  "Modesty,  continency,  and 
chastity"  refer  to  purity  iu  thoughts,  words,  looks,  and 
actions. 


178  On  the  Sacrament  of  Penance, 


LESSON  SEVENTEENTH. 

ON  THE  SACRAMENT   OF   PENANCE. 

When  Our  Blsssod  Lord  redeemed  us  He  applied  the 
benefits  of  the  Redemption  in  the  sacrament  of  baptism. 
By  this  baptism  He  freed  us  from  sin  and  the  slavery  of  the 
devil;  He  restored  us  to  God's  grace;  He  reopened  for  us 
heaven;  made  us  once  more  children  of  God:  in  a  word,  He 
placed  us  in  the  condition  in  which  we  were  before  our  full 
through  the  sin  of  our  first  parents.  This  was  certainly  a 
great  kindness  bestowed  upon  us,  and  one  would  think  we 
would  never  forget  it,  and  never  more  lose  God's  friendship 
by  any  fault  of  ours;  especially  when  we  had  seen  the  great 
miseries  brought  upon  the  world  by  sin,  and  had  learned 
something  of  hell  where  we  would  have  been,  and  of  heaven 
which  we  would  have  lost,  if  Our  Lord  had  not  redeemed  us. 
Our  Blessed  Lord  saw,  however,  that  we  would  forget  His  bene- 
fits, and  again,  even  after  baptism,  go  freely  into  the  slavery 
of  the  devil.  How,  then,  could  we  be  .saved?  AVe  could  not 
be  baptized  again,  because  baptism  can  be  given  only  once. 
Our  good  Lord  in  His  kindness  instituted  another  saci  ament, 
by  which  we  could  once  more  be  freed  from  sin  if  we  had  the 
misfortune  to  fall  into  it  after  baptism — it  is  the  Sacrament 
of  Penance.  It  is  called  the  plank  in  a  shipwreck.  When 
sailors  are  shipwrecked  and  thrown  helplessly  into  the  ocean, 
their  only  hope  is  some  floating  plank  that  may  bear  them  to 
the  shore.  So  when  we  fall  after  baptism.we  ai-e  thrown  into 
the  great  ocean  of  sin,  where  we  must  perish  if  we  do  not  rest 
upon  the  Sacrament  of  Penance,  which  will  bring  us  once 
more  in  safety  to  the  friendship  of  God.  How  very  thankful 
the  poor  shipwrecked  sailors  would  be  to  any  one  who  would 
offer  them  a  plank  while  they  were  in  danger  !     Do  you  think 


On  the  Sacrament  of  Penance.  179 

they  would  refuse  to  use  it  ?  In  like  manner  how  thankful 
we  should  be  for  the  Sacrament  of  Penance,  and  how  anxious 
we  should  be  to  use  it  when  we  are  in  danger  of  losing  our 
souls  ! 

The  Sacrament  of  Penance  shows  the  very  great  kindness 
of  Our  Lord.  He  might  have  snid  :  I  saved  them  once,  and  I 
will  not  trouble  Myself  more  iibout  them  ;  if  they  want  to  sin 
again,  let  them  perish.  But  no.  He  forgives  us  and  saves  us 
as  often  as  we  sincerely  call  on  Him  for  help,  being  trulv 
sorry  for  our  sins.  He  left  this  power  also  to  His  apostloj-j 
saying  to  them :  As  often  as  any  poor  sinner  shall  (>onie  to 
you  and  show  that  he  is  truly  sorry  for  his  sins,  and  has  the 
determination  not  to  commit  them  again,  and  confesses  them 
to  you,  I  give  you  the  power  to  pardon  his  sins  in  the  Sacra- 
ment of  Penance.  The  forgiveness  of  your  sins  is  the  chief 
though  not  tlie  only  blessing  you  receive  in  the  reception  of 
this  sacrament,  through  which  you  derive  so  many  and  great 
advantages  from  the  exhortation,  instruction,  or  advice  ot 
your  confessor. 

Is  it  not  a  great  benefit  to  have  a  friend  to  whom  you  can 
go  with  tlie  trials  of  your  mind  and  soul,  your  troubles,  temp- 
tations, sins,  and  secrets  ?  You  have  that  friend — the  priest  in 
the  confessional.  He  is  willing  to  help  you,  for  he  consecrated 
his  life  to  God  to  help  men  to  save  their  souls.  He  is  able  to 
help  you,  for  he  understands  your  difficulties,  sins,  and  temp- 
tations, and  the  means  of  overcoming  them.  He  has  made 
these  things  the  study  of  his  life,  and  derives  still  greater 
knowledge  of  them  from  hearing  the  sad  complaints  of  so 
many  relating  their  secret  sorrows  or  afflictions,  and  begging 
his  advice. 

Then  you  are  sure  that  whatever  you  tell  him  in  the  confes- 
sional will  never  be  made  known  to  others,  even  if  the  priest 
has  to  die  to  conceal  it.  You  might  tell  your  secrets  to  a 
friend,  and  if  you  afterwards  offended  him  he  would  probably 
reveal  all  you  told  him.  The  priest  asks  no  reward  for  the 
service  he  gives  you  in  the  confessional,  but  loves  to  help  you, 
because  he  has  pledged  himself  to  God  to  do  so,  and  would  sin 


180  On  the  Sacrament  of  Penance. 

if  ho  did  not.  Some  enemies  of  our  holy  religion  have  tried 
to  make  people  believe  that  Catholics  have  to  i^ay  the  priest  in 
confession  for  forgiving  their  sins;  but  every  Catholic.,  even 
the  youngest  child  who  has  been  to  confession,  knows  this  to 
be  untrue,  and  a  base  calumny  against  our  holy  religion;  even 
those  who  assert  it  do  not  believe  it  themselves.  The  good 
done  in  the  confessional  will  never  be  known  in  this  world,. 
How  many  persons  have  been  saved  from  sin,  suicide,  death, 
and  other  evils  by  the  advice  and  encouragement  received  in 
confession  !  How  many  persons  who  have  fallen  into  the  low- 
est depths  of  sin  have  by  the  Sacrament  of  Penance  been 
raised  up  and  made  to  lead  good,  respectable  lives — a  blessing 
to  themselves,  their  families,  and  society  I 

187  Q.  What  is  the  Sacrament  of  Penance? 
A.  Penance  is   a   sacrament  in  which  the   sins   com 
mitted  after  baptism  are  forgiven. 

One  who  has  never  been  baptized  could  not  go  to  corifes- 
sion  and  receive  absolution,  nor  indeed  any  of  the  sacraments. 

*  188  Q.  How  does  the  Sacrament  of  Penance  remit 
sin,  and  restore  the  soul  to  the  friendship  of  God  ? 

A.  The  Sacrament  of  Penance  remits  sin  and  restores 
the  friendship  of  God  to  the  soul  by  means  of  the  abso- 
lution of  the  priest. 

"  Absolution"  means  the  words  the  priest  says  at  the  time 
he  forgives  the  sins.  Absolve  means  to  loose  or  free.  When 
ministers  or  ambassadors  are  sent  by  our  government  to 
represent  the  United  States  in  England,  France,  Germany, 
or  other  countries,  whatever  they  do  there  officially  is  done  by 
the  United  States.  If  they  make  an  agreement  with  the 
governments  to  which  they  are  sent,  the  United  States  sanc- 
tions it,  and  the  very  moment  they  sign  the  agreement  it  is 
signed  and  sanctioned  by  the  authority  of  our  government 
wliose  representatives  they  are,  and  their  official  action  be- 
comes the  action  of  the  United  States  itself.  But  when  their 
term  of  office  expires,  though  they  remain  in  the  forei2:n 


On  the  Sacrament  of  Penance.  181 

countries,  they  have  no  longer  any  power  to  sign  agreements 
in  tlie  name  and  with  the  authority  of  the  United  States. 

You  see,  therefore,  that  it  is  the  power  that  is  given  them, 
and  not  their  own,  that  they  exercise.  In  like  manner  Our 
Lord  commissioned  His  priests  and  gave  them  the  power  to 
forgive  sins,  and  whatever  they  do  in  the  Sacrament  of  Pen- 
ance He  Himself  does.  At  the  very  moment  the  priest  pro- 
nounces the  words  of  absolution  on  earth  his  sentence  is 
ratified  in  heaven  and  the  sins  of  the  penitent  are  blotted 
out. 

It  may  increase  your  veneration  for  the  sacrament  to 
know  the  precise  manner  in  which  absolution  is  given.  After 
the  confession  and  giving  of  the  penance,  the  priest  first  prays 
for  the  sinner,  saying:  "May  Almighty  God  have  mercy  on 
you,  and,  your  sins  being  forgiven,  bring  you  to  life  everlast- 
ing. Amen."  Then,  raising  his  right  hand  over  the  peni- 
tent, he  says:  "  May  the  Almighty  and  merciful  Lord  grant 
you  pardon,  absolution,  and  remission  of  your  sins.  Amen." 
Then  he  continues:  ''  May  Our  L  rd  Jesus  Christ  absolve  you, 
and  I,  by  His  authority,  absolve  you  from  every  bond  of 
excommunication  and  interdict,  as  far  as  I  have  power  and. 
you  stand  in  need.  Then  I  absolve  you  from  your  sins.  In 
the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy 
Ghost.  Amen."  At  these  last  words  he  makes  the  sign  of 
the  cross  over  the  penitent.  In  conclusion  he  directs  to  God 
a  prayer  in  behalf  of  the  penitent  in  the  following  words: 
"  May  the  passion  of  Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,  the  merits  of  the 
Blessed  Virgin  Mary  and  of  all  the  saints,  and  whatsoever 
good  you  may  have  done  or  evil  you  may  have  suffered,  be  to 
you  unto  the  remission  of  your  sins,  the  increase  of  grace,  and 
the  recompense  of  everlasting  life.  Amen."  Then  the  priest 
says,  "  God  bless  you,"  "Go  in  peace,"  or  some  other  expres- 
sion showing  his  delight  at  your  reconciliation  with  God. 

*  189  Q.  How  do  you  know  that  the  priest  has  the 
power  of  absolving  from  the  sins  committed  after  bap- 
tism "? 

A.  I  know  that  the  priest  has  the  power  of  absolving 


182  On  the  Sacrament  of  Penance. 

from  sins  committed  after  baptism,  because  Jesus  Christ 
granted  that  power  to  the  priests  of  His  Church  when 
He  said:  "Receive  ye  the  Holy  Ghost.  "Whose  sins  you 
shall  forgive,  they  are  forgiven  them ;  whose  sins  you 
shall  retain,  they  are  retained." 

Every  Christian  knows  Our  Lord  Himself  had  power 
to  forgive  sins — (1)  because  He  was  God,  and  (2)  because 
He  often  did  forgive  them  while  on  earth,  and  proved 
that  He  did  by  performing  some  miracle;  as,  for  exam[)lo 
(Mark  ii.;  John  v.),  when  He  cured  the  poor  men  who 
had  been  sick  and  suffering  for  many  years,  He  said  to  them, 
**  Thy  sins  are  forgiven  thee;  arise,  take  up  thy  bed,  and 
walk,"  and  the  men  did  so.  Since  Our  Lord  had  the  power 
Himself,  He  could  give  it  to  His  apostles  if  He  wished,  and 
He  did  give  it  to  them  and  their  successors.  For  if  He  did 
not,  how  could  we  and  all  others  who,  after  baptism,  have 
fallen  into  sin  be  cleansed  from  it  ?  This  Sacrament  of  Pen- 
ance was  for  all  time,  and  so  He  left  the  power  with  His 
Church,  which  is  to  last  as  long  as  there  is  a  living  human 
being  upon  the  earth.  Our  Lord  promised  to  His  apostles 
before  His  death  this  power  to  forgive  sins  (Matt,  xviii.  18), 
and  He  gave  it  to  them  after  His  resurrection  (John  xx.  23), 
when  He  appeared  to  them  and  breathed  on  them,  and  said : 
''Whose  sins  you  shall  forgive,  they  are  forgiven  them; 
and  whose  sins  you  shall  retain,  they  are  retained." 

*  190  Q.  How  do  the  priests  of  the   Church   exercise 
the  power  of  forgiving  sins  ? 

A.  The  priests  of  the  Church  exercise  the  power  of 
forgiving  sins  by  hearing  the  confession  of  sins,  and 
granting  pardon  for  them  as  ministers  of  God  and  in 
His  name. 

The  power  to  forgive  sins  implies  the  obligation  of  going 
to  confession;  because,  as  most  sins  are  secret,  how  could  the 
apostles  know  what  sins  to  forgive  and  what  sins  to  retain — 
that  is,  not  to  forgive — unless  they  were  told  by  the  sinner 
what  sins  he  had  committed  ?    Thev  could  not  see  into  his 


On  the  Sacrament  of  Fenance.  183 

heart  as  God  can,  and  kuow  his  sins;  and  so  if  the  sinner 
wished  his  sins  forgiven,  he  had  to  confess  them  to  the  apos- 
tles or  their  successors.  Therefore,  since  we  have  the  Sacra- 
ment of  Penance,  we  must  also  have  confession. 

191  Q.  What  must  we  do  to  receive  the  Sacrament  of 
Penance  worthily? 

A.  To  receive  the  Sacrament  of  Penance  worthily  we 
must  do  five  things: 

(1)  We  must  examine  our  conscience. 

(2)  We  must  have  sorrow  for  our  sins. 

(3)  We  must  make  a  firm  resolution  never  more  to 
oflTend  God. 

(4)  We  must  confess  our  sins  to  the  priest. 

(5)  We  must  accept  the  penance  which  the  priest 
gives  us. 

AVhen  we  are  about  to  go  to  confession  the  first  thing  we 
should  do  is  to  pray  to  the  Holy  Ghost  to  give  us  light  to 
know  and  remember  all  our  sins;  to  fully  understand  how 
displeasing  they  are  to  God,  and  to  have  a  great  sorrow  for 
tliem,  which  includes  the  resolution  of  never  committing 
them  again.     The  next  thing  we  should  do  is — 

(1)  "  Examine  our  conscience;"  and  first  of  all  we  find  out 
how  long  a  time  it  is  since  our  last  confession,  and  whether 
we  made  a  good  confession  then  and  received  Holy  Com- 
munion and  performed  our  penance.  The  best  method  of 
examining  is  to  take  the  Commandments  and  go  over  each 
one  in  our  mind,  seeing  if  we  have  broken  it,  and  in  what  way; 
for  example:  First.  "I  am  the  Lord  thy  God;  thou  shalt  not 
have  strange  gods  before  Me."  Have  I  honored  God  ?  Have 
I  said  my  prayers  morning  and  night;  have  I  said  them  with 
attention  and  devotion  ?  Have  I  thanked  God  for  all  His 
blessings?  Have  I  been  more  anxious  to  please  others  than 
to  please  God,  or  offended  Him  for  the  sake  of  others  f 
Second.  "■  Thou  shalt  not  take  the  name  of  the  Lord  thy  God 
in  vain."  Have  I  cursed  ?  Have  I  taken  God's  name  in  vain 
or  spoken  without  reverence  of  holy  things  ?  Tliird.  "  Ee- 
member  thou  keep  holy  the  Sabbath-day."     Have  I  neglected 


184  On  the  Sacrament  of  Penance.  , 

to  hear  Mass  through  my  own  fault  on  Sundays  and  holy- 
days  of  obligation  ?  Have  I  kept  others  from  Mass  ?  Have  I 
been  late,  and  at  what  part  of  the  Mass  did  1  oome  in  ?  Have 
I  been  wilfully  distracted  at  Mass  or  have  I  distracted  others? 
Have  I  done  servile  work  without  necessity?  Fourth.  "  Honor 
thy  father  and  thy  mother."  Have  I  been  disobedient  to 
parents  or  others  who  have  authority  over  me — to  spiritual  or 
temporal  superiors,  teachers,  etc.  ?  Have  I  slighted  or  been 
ashamed  of  parents  because  they  were  poor  or  uneducated  ? 
Have  I  neglected  to  give  them  what  help  I  could  when  they 
were  in  need  of  it  ?  Have  I  spoken  of  them  with  disrespect 
or  called  them  names  that  were  not  j^roper  ?  Fifth,  "  Thou 
shalt  not  kill."  Have  I  done  anything  that  might  lead  to 
killing  ?  Have  I  been  angry  or  have  I  tried  to  take  revenge  ? 
Have  I  borne  hatred  or  tried  to  injure  others?  Have  I 
given  scandal  ?  Sixth.  ''Thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery." 
Have  I  indulged  in  any  bad  thoughts,  looked  at  any  bad 
pictures  or  objects,  listened  to  any  bad  conversation,  told  or 
listened  to  bad  or  immodest  jokes  or  stories,  or,  in  general, 
spoken  of  bad  things?  Have  I  done  any  bad  actions  or  de- 
sired to  do  any  while  alone  or  with  others  ?  Seventh.  "  Thou 
shalt  not  steal."  Have  I  stolen  anything  myself  or  helped  or 
advised  others  to  steal  ?  Have  I  received  anything  or  part  of 
anything  that  I  knew  to  be  stolen  ?  Do  I  owe  money  and  not 
pay  it  when  I  can  ?  Have  I  bought  anything  with  the  inten- 
tion of  never  paying  for  it  or  at  least  knowing  I  never  could 
pay  for  it  ?  Have  I  made  restitution  when  told  to  do  so  by 
my  confessor;  or  have  I  put  it  off  from  time  to  time  ?  Have 
I  failed  to  give  back  what  belonged  to  another  ?  Have  I  found 
anything  and  not  tried  to  discover  its  owner,  or  have  I  kepi; 
it  in  my  possession  after  I  knew  to  whom  it  belonged  ?  Have 
I  cheated  in  business  or  at  games  ?  Eighth.  "  Thou  shalt  not 
bear  false  witness  against  thy  neighbor."  Have  I  told  lies  or 
injured  any  one  by  my  talk  ?  Have  I  told  the  faults  of  others 
without  any  necessity  ?  It  is  not  allowed  to  tell  the  faults  of 
others — even  when  you  tell  the  truth  about  them — unless  some 
good  comes  of  the  telling.     Ninth.  "  Thou  shalt  not  covet 


On  the  Sacrament  of  Penance.  185 

iliy  neighbor's  wife."  This  can  come  into  our  examination 
on  the  Sixth  Commandment.  Tenth.  "  Thou  shalt  not  covet 
thy  neighbor's  goods."  This  can  come  into  our  examination 
on  the  Seventh  Commandment. 

After  examining  yourself  on  the  Commandments  of  God, 
examine  yourself  on  the  Commandments  of  the  Church. 

First.  "  To  liear  Mass  on  Sundays  and  holy-days  of  obli- 
gation." This  has  been  considered  in  the  examination  on  the 
Third  Commandment.  Second.  "  To  fast  and  abstain  on  the 
days  appointed."  Have  I  eaten  meat  on  Fridays  or  fast-days 
remembering  that  it  was  Friday  or  a  fast-day,  and  when  I  had 
no  permission  from  my  confessor  to  do  so  on  account  of  poor 
health  or  other  reason  ?  Tliird.  "  To  confess  at  least  once  a 
year."  Is  it  over  a  year,  and  how  much  over  it,  since  I  have 
been  to  confession  ?  Fourth.  "  To  receive  Holy  Eucharist 
during  the  Easter  time."  Did  I  go  to  Holy  Communion 
between  the  first  Sunday  of  Lent  and  Trinity  Sunday  ?  If 
not,  I  have  committed  a  mortal  sin.  Fifth.  "  To  contribute 
to  the  support  of  our  pastors."  Have  I  helped  the  church 
and  reasonably  paid  my  share  of  its  expenses — given  to  charity 
and  the  like,  or  have  I  made  others  pay  for  the  light,  heat, 
and  other  things  that  cost  money  in  the  church,  and  shared 
in  their  benefits  without  giving  according  to  my  means  ?  Have 
I  kept  what  was  given  me  for  the  church  or  other  charity,  or 
stolen  from  the  church  and  not  stated  that  circumstance 
when  I  confessed  that  I  stole  ? 

Sixth.  "  Not  to  marry  persons  who  arc  not  Catholics,  or 
who  are  related  to  us  within  the  fourth  degree  of  kindred,  or 
privately  without  witnesses,  nor  to  solemnize  marriage  at  for- 
bidden times."  Have  I  anything  to  tell  on  this  command- 
ment ? 

After  examining  yourself  on  the  commandments  of  God 
and  of  His  Church;  examine  yourself  on  the  capital  sins, 
especially  on  "  Pride."  Have  I  been  impudent  and  stubborn, 
vain  about  my  dress,  and  the  like  ?  Have  I  despised  others 
simply  on  account  of  poverty  or  something  they  could  not 
help?     *' Gluttony."    Have  I  ever  taken  intoxicating  drink 


186  On  the  Sacrament  of  Penance. 

to  excess  or  broken  a  promise  not  to  take  it  ?  Have  I  know- 
ingly caused  others  to  be  intoxicated  ?  "  Sloth."  Have  I  wasted 
my  time  wilfully  and  neglected  to  do  my  duty  at  school  or 
elsewhere  ?  After  examining  yourself  on  the  commandments 
and  capital  sins,  examine  yourself  on  the  duties  of  your  state 
of  life.  If  you  are  at  school,  how  have  you  studied  ?  You 
should  study  not  alone  to  please  your  parents  or  teachers,  but 
for  the  sake  of  learning.  If  you  are  at  work,  have  you  been 
faithful  to  your  employer,  and  done  your  work  well  and  hon- 
estly ? 

The  above  method  is  generally  recommended  as  the  best 
in  the  examination  of  conscience.  But  you  need  not  follow 
these  exact  questions;  you  can  ask  yourself  any  questions  you 
please :  the  above  questions  are  given  only  as  examples  of  what 
you  might  ask,  and  to  show  you  how  to  question  yourself.  It 
is  useless  to  take  any  list  of  sins  in  a  prayer-book  and  examine 
yourself  by  it,  confessing  the  sins  just  as  they  are  given.  If 
you  do  take  such  a  list  and  find  in  it  some  questions  or  sins 
that  you  do  not  understand,  do  not  trouble  yourself  about 
them.  In  asking  yourself  the  questions,  if  you  find  you  have 
sinned  against  a  commandment,  stop  and  consider  how  many 
times.  There  are  few  persons  who  sin  against  all  the  com- 
mandments. Some  sin  against  one  and  some  against  another. 
Find  out  the  worst  sin  you  have  and  the  one  3'ou  have  most 
frequently  committed,  and  be  sure  of  telling  it. 

(2)  "Have  sorrow  for  our  sins."  After* examining  your 
conscience  and  finding  out  the  sins  you  have  committed,  the 
next  thing  is  to  be  sorry  for  them.  The  sorrow  is  the  most 
essential  part  in  the  whole  Sacrament  of  Penance.  In  this 
sacramejit  there  are,  as  you  know,  three  parts:  contrition, 
confession,  and  satisfaction — and  contrition  is  the  most  impor- 
tant part.  When,  therefore,  we  are  preparing  for  confession, 
we  should  spend  just  as  much  time,  and  even  more,  in  excit- 
ing ourselves  to  sorrow  for  our  sins  as  in  the  examination  of 
our  conscience.  Some  persons  forget  this  and  spend  all  their 
time  examining  their  conscience.    We  should  pray  for  sorrow 


On  the  Sacrament  of  Penance.  187 

if  we  think  wo  have  none.  Eemeniber  the  act  of  contrition 
made  at  coufcssion  is  not  the  sorrow,  but  only  an  outward  sign 
by  which  we  make  known  to  the  priest  that  we  have  the  sorrow 
in  onr  heart,  and  therefore  we  must  have  the  sorrow  before 
making  the  confession — or  at  least,  before  receiving  the  abso- 
lution. Kow  what  kind  of  sorrow  must  we  have  ?  Some  one 
might  say,  I  am  not  truly  sorry  because  I  cannot  cry.  If  some 
of  my  friends  died,  1  would  be  more  sorry  for  tliat  than  for 
my  sins.  Do  not  make  any  such  mistake.  The  true  and 
necessary  kind  of  sorrow  for  sin  is  to  know  that  by  sin  you 
have  offended  God,  and  now  feel  thiit  it  was  very  wrong,  and 
that  you  have  from  this  moment  the  firm  determination  never 
to  offend  Him  more.  If  God  adds  to  this  a  feeling  that  brings 
tears  to  your  eyes,  it  is  good,  hut  not  necessary. 

(3)  Eemember  real  sorrow  for  sin  supposes  and  contains 
**  a  firm  resolution  "  never  to  sin  again.  How  can  you  say  to 
God,  "0  my  God,  I  am  heartily  sorry,'*  etc.,  if  you  are 
waiting  only  for  the  next  opportunity  to  sin  ?  How  can  we 
be  sorry  for  the  past  if  Ave  are  going  to  do  the  same  in  the 
future  ?  Do  you  think  the  thief  would  be  sorry  for  his  past 
thefts  if  he  had  his  mind  made  up  to  steal  again  as  soon  as  he 
had  the  chance  ?  Ah,  bat  you  will  say,  nearly  all  persons  sin 
again  after  confession.  I  know  that ;  but  when  they  were 
making  their  confession  they  thought  they  never  would,  and 
really  meant  never  to  sin  again  ;  but  when  temptation  came, 
they  forgot  the  good  resolution,  did  not  use  God's  help,  and 
fell  into  sin  again.  I  mean,  therefore,  that  at  tlie  time  you 
make  the  act  oi  contrition  you  must  really  mean  what  you 
Bay  and  promise  never  to  sin,  and  take  every  means  you  can 
to  keep  that  i^romise.  If  you  do  fall  afterwards,  renew  your 
promise  as  quickly  as  possible  and  make  a  greater  effort  than 
before.  Be  on  your  guard  against  those  things  that  make 
Jrou  break  your  promise,  and  then  your  act  of  contrition  will 
be  a  good  one.  A  person  may  be  afraid  that  he  will  fall 
again,  but  being  afraid  does  not  make  his  contrition  worth- 
less as  long  as  he  wishes,  hopes,  and  intends  never  to  sia 


188  On  the  Sacrament  of  Penance. 

again.  We  should  always  be  afraid  of  falling  into  oin^  ana  we 
will  fall  into  it  if  we  depend  upon  ourselves  alone,  and  not  on 
the  help  which  God  gives  us  in  His  grace. 

(4)  "Confess  our  sins."  Having  made  the  necessary  prepa- 
ration, you  will  next  go  into  the  confessional;  and  while 
you  are  waiting  for  the  priest  to  hear  you,  you  should  say  the 
confiteor.  When  the  priest  turns  to  you,  bless  yourself 
and  say:  **  Bless  me,  father,  for  I  have  sinned.  It  is  a 
month  or  a  week  (or  whatever  time  it  may  be)  since  my 
last  confession,  and  I  have  since  committed  these  sins." 
Then  tell  your  sins  as  you  found  them  in  examining 
youi-self.  In  confession  you  must  tell  only  such  things  as  are 
sins.  You  must  not  tell  all  the  details  and  a  long  story  with 
every  sin.  For  example,  if  a  boy  should  confess  that  he  went 
to  see  a  friend,  and  after  that  met  another  friend,  and  when 
he  came  home  he  was  asked  what  had  kept  him,  and  he  told 
a  lie.  Now,  the  going  to  see  the  friend  and  the  meeting 
of  the  other  friend,  and  all  the  rest,  was  not  a  sin :  the  sin  was 
telling  the  lie,  and  that  was  all  that  should  have  been  con- 
fessed. Therefore,  tell  only  the  sins.  Then  tell  only  your 
own  sins,  and  be  very  careful  not  to  mention  any  one's  name — 
even  your  own — in  confession.  Be  brief,  and  do  not  say,  I 
broke  the  first  commandment  or  the  second  by  doing  so  and 
so:  tell  the  sin  simply  as  it  is,  and  the  priest  himself  will  know 
what  commandment  you  violated.  Again,  when  you  have  com- 
mitted a  sin  several  times  a  day  do  not  multiply  that  by  the 
number  of  days  since  your  last  confession  and  say  to  the  priest, 
I  have  told  lies,  for  example,  four  hundred  and  forty-two 
times.  Such  things  only  confuse  you  and  make  you  forget 
your  sins.  Simply  say,  I  am  in  the  habit  of  telling  lies, 
about  so  many,  three  or  four — or  whatever  number  it  may 
be — times  a  day.  Never  say  "sometimes"  or  "often'' 
when  you  are  telling  the  number  of  your  sins.  Sometimes 
might  mean  ten  or  it  might  mean  twenty  times.  How 
then  can  the  priest  know  the  number  by  that  expression  ? 
Give  the  number  as  nearly  as  you  can^  and  if  you  do  not  know 


On  the  Sacrament  of  Penance.  189 

■fcne  whole  number  give  the  number  of  times  a  dny,  etc.  Never 
say  "  maybe  "  I  did  so  and  so  ;  because  maybe  you  did  not, 
find  the  priest  cannot  judge.  Tell  what  you  consider  your 
worst  sin  first,  then  if  there  be  any  sin  you  are  ashamed  to 
tell  or  do  not  know  how  to  tell,  say  to  the  priest:  **  Father,  1 
have  a  sin  I  am  ashamed  to  tell,  or  a  sin  I  do  not  know  how 
to  tell;"  and  then  the  priest  will  ask  you  some  questions  and 
help  you  to  tell  it.  But  never  think  of  going  away  from  the 
confessional  with  some  sin  that  you  did  not  tell.  The  devil 
sometimes  tempts  people  to  do  this,  because  he  does  not  like 
to  see  them  in  a  state  of  grace  and  friends  of  God.  When 
you  are  committing  the  sin,  he  makes  you  believe  it  is  not  a 
great  sin,  and  that  you  can  tell  it  in  confession;  but  after  you 
have  committed  it  he  makes  you  believe  that  it  is  a  most  terri- 
ble sin,  and  that  if  you  tell  it,  the  priest  will  scold  you  severely. 
So  it  is  concealed  and  the  person  leaves  the  confessional 
teith  a  new  sin  upon  his  soul — that  of  sacrilege.  When  Judas 
was  tempted  to  betray  Our  Lord,  he  thought  thirty  pieces  of 
silver  a  great  deal  of  money  ;  and  then,  after  he  had  com- 
mitted the  sin,  he  cared  nothing  for  the  money,  but  went  and 
threw  it  away,  and  thought  his  sin  so  dreadful  that  he  hanged 
himself,  dying  in  despair. 

It  is  not  necessary  to  tell  the  priest  the  exact  words  you 
said  in  cursing  or  in  bad  conversation,  unless  he  asks  you; 
but  simply  say.  Father,  I  cursed  so  many  times.  Do  not  speak 
too  loud  in  the  confessional,  but  loud  enough  for  the  priest 
to  bear  you.  If  you  are  deaf,  do  not  go  into  the  confessional 
while  others  are  near,  but  wait  till  all  have  been  heard  and 
go  in  last,  or  ask  the  priest  to  hear  you  some  place  else. 

(5)  Listen  attentively  to  hear  what  "penance"  the  priest, 
gives  you,  and  say  the  act  of  contrition  when  he  tells  you  to 
say  it;  and  above  all,  never  leave  the  confessional  till  the 
priest  closes  the  little  door  or  tells  you  to  go.  If  the  priest 
does  not  say  at  what  particular  time  you  are  to  say  your 
penance,  say  it  as  soon  as  you  can.  When  he  tells  you  to  say 
anything  more  than  once,  he  generally  means  that  you  are 


190  On  the  Sacrament  of  Penance, 

to  say  it  once  a  day  for  so  mauy  days.  If,  for  example,  he 
tells  you  to  say  the  Litany  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  three  times, 
he  intends  you  are  to  say  it  once  a  day  for  three  days. 

When  you  have  told  all  your  sins,  you  will  say :  "  Foi  these 
and  all  the  sins  of  my  whole  life,  especially  any  1  have  for- 
gotten, I  am  heartily  sorry,  and  ask  pardon  and  penance.'* 
Listen  to  the  priest's  advice,  and  answer  simply  any  question 
he  may  ask  you.  If  you  should  forget  a  sin  in  confession  and 
remember  it  the  same  day  or  evening,  or  while  you  are  still 
in  the  church,  it  will  not  be  necessary  to  wait  and  go  to  con- 
fession again.  It  is  forgiven  already,  because  it  was  included 
in  your  forgotten  sins;  but  you  must  tell  it  the  next  time  you 
go  to  confession,  sa3'ing  before  your  regular  confession:  In 
my  last  confession  I  forgot  this  sin.  Of  course  if  you  tried 
to  forget  your  sins  your  confession  would  be  invalid.  It  is 
only  when  you  examine  your  conscience  with  all  reasonable 
care,  and  then  after  all  forget  some  sins,  that  such  forgotten 
sins  are  forgiven. 

Never  talk  or  quarrel  for  places  while  waiting  for  confes- 
sion, and  never  cheat  another  out  of  his  turn  in  going  to  con- 
fession. It  is  unjust,  it  makes  the  person  angry,  and  lessens 
his  good  dispositions  for  confession.  It  creates  confusion, 
and  annoys  the  priest  who  hears  the  noise.  If  you  are  m  a 
hurry,  ask  the  others  to  allow  you  to  go  first;  and  if  they  will 
not  be  contented  and  wait,  and  if  you  cannot  wait,  go  some 
other  time.  Spend  your  time  while  waiting  in  praying  for 
pardon  and  foi  sorrov\^.  Xever  keep  the  priest  waiting  for  you 
in  the  confessional;  pass  in  as  soon  as  he  is  prepared  to  hear 
you. 

192  Q.  "What  is  the  examination  of  conscience? 

A.  The  examination  of  conscience  is  an  earnest  eflfbrt 
to  recall  tc  mind  all  the  sins  we  have  committed  since 
our  last  worthy  confession. 

"  Worthy  confession,"  because  if  we  made  bad  confessions 
fie  must  tell  how  often  we  made  them,  and  whether  we  re- 


On  the  Sacrament  of  Penance,  191 

eeiveci  Holy  Communion  after  them  or  not.  and  also  all  the 
sins  we  told  in  the  bad  confessions,  and  all  others  committed 
since  the  good  confession.  If,  for  example,  a  boy  made  a 
good  confession  in  Januar}^,  and  in  confession  in  February 
concealed  a  mortal  sin  and  went  to  confession  after  that  every 
mouth  to  December,  he  would  have  to  go  back  to  his  last  good 
confession,  and  repeat  all  the  sms  committed  siuce  Januaiy^ 
and  also  say  that  he  had  gone  to  confession  ouce  a  mouth  and 
made  bad  confessions  all  these  times. 

*  193  Q.  How  can  we  make  a  good  examination  of 
conscience  ? 

A.  We  can  make  a  good  examination  of  conscience 
by  calling  to  memory  the  commandments  of  God,  the 
precepts  of  the  Church,  the  seven  capital  sins,  and  the 
particular  duties  of  our  state  in  life,  to  find  out  the  sins 
we  have  committed. 

*  194  Q.  What   should   we    do    beforr     beginning   the 
examination  of  consci3nce  ? 

A,  Before  beginning  the  examination  of  conscience 
wo  should  pray  to  God  to  give  us  light  to  know  ovu 
sins  and  grace  to  detest  them. 


192  On  Contrition, 


LESSON  EIGHTEENTH. 
ON  CONTRITION. 

195  Q.  What  is  contrition  or  sorrow  for  sin? 

A.  Contrition  or  sorrow  for  sin  is  a  hatred  of  sin  and 
a  true  grief  of  the  soul  for  having  ofiended  God,  with  a 
fLrm  purpose  of  sinning  no  more. 

** Offended" — that  is,  done  something  to  displease  Him. 

*  196  Q  What  kind  of  sorrow  sho\ild  we  have  for 
our  sins? 

A.  The  sorrow  we  should  have  for  our  sins  should 
be  interior,  supernatural,  universal,  and  sovereign. 

*  197  Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  saying  that  our  sor- 
row should  be  interior? 

A.  When  I  say  that  our  sorrow  should  be  interior,  I 
mean  that  it  should  come  from  the  heart,  and  not  merely 
from  the  lips. 

"Interior  " — that  is,  we  must  really  have  the  sorrow  in  our 
hearts.  A  boy,  for  example,  might  cry  in  the  confessional 
and  pretend  to  the  priest  to  be  very  sorry,  and  the  j)riost 
might  be  deceived  and  absolve  him;  but  God,  who  sees  into 
onr  hearts,  would  know  that  he  was  not  really  sorry,  but  only 
pretending,  that  his  sorrow  was  not  interior,  but  exterior;  and 
God  therefore  would  withhold  His  forgiveness  and  would  not 
blot  out  the  sins,  and  the  boy  would  have  a  new  sin  of  sacri- 
lege upon  his  soul;  because  it  is  a  sacrilege  to  allow  the  priest 
to  give  you  absolution  if  you  know  you  have  not  the  right  dis- 
position, and  you  are  not  trying  to  do  all  that  is  required  for  i 
good  confession-     So  you  understand  you  might  deceive  the 


On  ContritioTi.  193 

priest  and  receive  absolution,  but  GocI  would  not  allow  the 
absolution  to  take  effect,  and  the  sins  would  remain;  for  if 
the  priest  knew  your  dispositions  as  God  did,  or  as  you  know 
them,  he  would  not  give  you  absolution  till  your  dispositions 
changed. 

*  198  Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  saying  that  our  soiw 
cow  should  be  supernatuxal  P 

A.  When  I  say  that  our  sorrow  should  be  super- 
natural, I  mean  that  it  should  be  prompted  by  the  grace 
of  God,  and  excited  by  motives  which  spring  from  faith, 
and  not  by  merely  natural  motives. 

"  Supernatural" — that  is,  we  must  be  sorry  for  the  sin  on 
account  of  some  reason  that  God  has  made  known  to  us.  For 
example,  either  because  our  sin  is  displeasing  to  God,  or  be- 
cause we  have  lost  heaven  by  it,  or  because  we  fear  to  be 
punished  for  it  in  hell  or  purgatory.  But  if  we  are  sorry  for 
our  sin  only  on  account  of  some  natural  motive,  then  our  sor« 
row  is  not  of  the  right  kind.  If  a  man  was  sorry  for  stealing 
only  because  he  was  caught  and  had  to  go  to  prison  for  it, 
his  sorrow  would  only  be  natural.  Or  if  a  boy  was  sorry 
for  telling  lies  only  because  he  got  a  whipping  for  it,  his 
sorrow  would  only  be  natural.  Or  if  a  man  was  sorry  for 
being  intoxicated  because  he  lost  his  situation  and  injured 
his  health,  he  would  not  have  the  necessary  kind  of  sorrow. 
These  persons  must  be  sorry  for  stealing,  lying,  or  being  in^ 
toxicated  because  all  these  are  sins  against  God — things  for- 
bidden by  Him  and  worthy  of  His  punishment.  If  we  are 
sorry  for  having  offended  God,  simply  on  account  of  His  own 
goodness,  and  without  any  thought  of  what  evils  might  befall 
us  through  sin  or  what  benefits  we  might  derive  from  serving 
God,  our  contrition  is  said  to  be  perfect.  If  we  are  sorry  for 
the  sins  because  by  them  we  are  in  great  danger  of  being  pun- 
ished by  God,  or  because  we  have  lost  heaven  by  them,  and 
without  any  regard  for  God's  own  goodness,  then  our  contri- 
tion is  said  to  be  imverfect  Imperfect  contrition  is  called 
ittrition. 


194  On  Contrition. 

*  199  Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  saying  that  our  sor^ 
row  should  be  universal? 

A.  When  I  say  that  our  sorrow  should  be  universal, 
I  mean  that  we  should  be  sorry  for  all  our  mortal  sina 
without  exception. 

"  Universal."  If  a  person  committed  ten  mortal  sins,  and 
was  sorry  for  nine,  but  not  for  the  tenth,  then  none  cf  the 
sins  would  be  forgiven.  If  you  committed  a  thousand  mortal 
sins,  and  were  sorry  for  all  but  one,  none  would  be  forgiven. 
Why?  Because  you  can  never  have  God's  grace  and  mortal 
sin  in  the  soul  at  the  same  time.  Now  this  moi-tal  sin  will 
be  on  your  soul  till  you  are  sorry  for  it,  and  while  it  is  on 
your  soul  God's  grace  will  not  come  to  you.  Again,  you  can- 
not be  half  sorry  for  having  offended  God  ;  either  you  must 
be  entirely  sorry,  or  not  sorry  at  all.  Therefore  you  cannot 
be  sorry  for  only  part  of  your  sins. 

*  200  Q.  What  do  you  mean  when  you  say  that  oui 
sorrow  should  be  sovereign? 

A.  When  I  say  that  our  sorrow  should  be  sovereign 
I  mean  that  we  should  grieve  more  for  having  offended 
God  than  for  any  other  evil  that  can  befall  us. 

201  Q.  Why  should  we  be  sorry  for  our  sins? 

A.  We  should  be  sorry  for  our  sins,  because  sin  is  the 
greatest  of  evils  and  an  offence  against  God  our  Creator, 
Preserver,  and  Redeemer,  and  because  it  shuts  us  out  oi' 
heaven  and  condemns  us  to  the  eternal  pains  of  hell. 

We  consider  an  evil  great  in  proportion  to  the  length  of 
time  we  have  to  bear  it.  To  be  blind  is  certainly  a  misfor- 
tune;  but  it  is  a  greater  misfortune  to  be  blind  for  our  whole 
life  than  for  one  day.  Sin,  therefore,  is  the  greatest  of  all 
evils ;  because  the  misfortune  it  brings  upon  us  lasts  not 
merely  for  a  great  many  years,  but  for  all  eternity.  Even 
slight  sufferings  would  be  terrible  if  they  lasted  forever,  but 
the  sufferings  for  mortal  sin  are  worse  than  we  can  describe 
or  imagine,  and  they  are  forever.     The  greatest  evils  in  this 


On  Contrition.  195 

world  win  not  last  forever,  and  are  small  when  compared 
with  sin.  Sin  makes  us  ungrateful  to  God,  Who  gives  us  our 
existence. 

"  Our  Preserver,"  because  if  God  ceased  to  watch  over  ua 
and  provide  for  us,  even  for  a  short  time,  we  would  cease  to 
exist. 

**  Our  Redeemer,"  Who  suffered  so  much  for  us. 

202  Q.  How  many  kinds  of  contrition  are  there  ? 
A,  There  are  two  kinds  of  contrition:  perfect  con- 
trition  and  imperfect  contrition. 

*  203  Q.  What  is  perfect  contrition? 

A.  Perfect  contrition  is  that  which  fills  us  with  sor- 
row^  and  hatred  for  sin,  because  it  offends  God,  Who  is 
infinitely  good  in  Himself  and  worthy  af  all  love. 

It  is  a  very  hard  thing  to  have  perfect  contrition,  but  we 
should  always  try  to  have  it,  so  that  our  contrition  may  be  as 
perfect  as  possible.  This  perfect  contrition  is  the  kind  of 
contrition  we  must  have  if  our  sins  are  to  be  forgiven  wiiile 
we  are  in  danger  of  death  and  cannot  go  to  confession.  Im- 
perfect contrition  with  the  priest's  absolution  will  blot  out 
our  sins. 

*  204  Q.  What  is  imperfect  contrition? 

A.  Imperfect  contrition  is  that  by  which  we  hate 
what  offfends  God  because  by  it  we  lose  heaven  and  de- 
serve hell ;  or  because  sin  is  so  hateful  in  itself. 

*  205  Q.  Is  imperfect  contrition  suflttcient  for  a  worthy 
confession  ? 

A.  Imperfect  contrition  is  suflacient  for  a  worthy  con- 
fession, but  we  should  endeavor  to  have  perfect  con- 
trition. 

206  Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  a  firm  purpose  of  sin- 
ning no  more? 

A.  By  a  firm    "Durnoso  of  aijnnixLe:  no  more  I  mean  a 


196  On  Contrition. 

fixed  resolve  not  only  to  avoid  all  mortal  sin,  but  alflO 
its  near  occasions. 

"  Fixed."    Not  for  a  certain  time,  but  for  all  the  future. 

207  Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  the  near  occasions  of 
sin? 

A.  By  the  near  occasions  of  sin  I  mean  all  the  per- 
sons, places,  and  things  that  may  easily  lead  us  into  sine 

*' Occasions."  There  are  many  kinds  of  occasions  of  sin. 
First,  we  have  voluntary  and  necessary  occasions,  or  those 
we  can  avoid  and  those  we  cannot  avoid.  For  example  :  if  a 
companion  uses  immodest  conversation  we  can  avoid  that  oc- 
casion, because  we  can  keep  away  from  him;  but  if  the  one 
who  sins  is  a  member  of  our  own  family,  always  living  with 
us,  we  cannot  so  easily  avoid  that  occasion.  Second,  near 
and  remote  occasions.  An  occasion  is  said  to  be  "  near  "  when, 
we  always  fall  into  sin  by  it.  For  instance,  if  a  man  gets  in- 
toxicated every  time  he  visits  a  certain  place,  then  that  place 
is  a  "near  occasion"  of  sin  for  him;  but  if  he  gets  intoxicated 
only  once  out  of  every  fifty  times  or  so  that  he  goes  there, 
then  it  is  said  to  be  a  "  remote  occasion."  Now,  it  is  not 
enough  to  avoid  the  sins  :  we  must  also  avoid  the  occasions. 
If  we  have  a  firm  purpose  of  amendment,  if  we  desire  to  do 
better,  we  must  be  resolved  to  avoid  everything  that  will  lead 
us  to  sin.  It  is  not  enough  to  say,  I  will  go  to  that  place  or 
with  that  person,  but  I  will  never  again  commit  the  same  sins. 
No  matter  what  you  think  now,  if  you  go  into  the  occasion 
you  will  fall  again;  because  Our  Lord,  Who  cannot  speak 
falsely,  says  :  "  He  who  loves  the  danger  will  perish  in  it.'* 
Now  the  occasion  of  sin  is  always  "  the  danger,*'  and  if  you 
go  into  it  Our  Lord's  words  will  come  true,  and  you  will  fall 
miserably.  Take  away  the  cause,  take  away  the  occasion, 
and  then  the  sin  will  cease  of  itself.  Let  us  suppose  the 
plaster  in  your  house  fell  down,  and  you  found  that  it  fell  be- 
cause there  was  a  leak  in  the  water-pipe  above,  and  the  water 
coming  through  wet  the  plaster  and  made  it  full.     What  is 


On  Contrition.  197 

the  first  thing  your  father  would  do  iii  that  case  ?  Why,  get  a 
plumber  and  stop  up  tlie  leak  in  the  pipe  before  putting  up 
the  plaster  again.  Would  it  not  be  foolish  to  engage  a  plas- 
terer to  repair  the  ceiling  while  the  pipe  was  still  leaking? 
Every  one  would  say  that  man  must  be  out  of  his  tniud :  the 
plaster  will  fall  down  as  often  as  he  puts  it  up,  and  it  matters 
not  either  how  well  he  puts  it  up.  If  he  wants  it  to  stay  up, 
he  must  first  mend  the  pipe — take  away  the  cause  of  its  fall- 
ing. Now  the  occasion  of  sin  is  like  the  leak  in  the  pipe — it 
will  cause  you  to  fall  every  time.  Stop  up  the  leak,  take 
away  the  occasion,  and  then  you  will  not  fall  into  sin — at  least 
not  so  frequently. 

"  The  persons  "  are  generally  bad  companions,  and  though 
they  may  not  be  bad  when  alone,  they  are  bad  when  with  us, 
and  thus  we  become  also  bad  companions  for  them,  and  occar 
sions  of  sin. 

*'  The  places."  Liquor-saloons,  low  theatres,  dance-halls, 
and  all  places  where  we  may  see  or  hear  anything  against 
faith  or  morals. 

«  Things."    Bad  books,  pictures,  and  the  like. 


138  On  Confession, 


LESSON  NINETEENTH. 

ON  CONFESSION. 

208.  Q.  What  is  confession? 

A.  Confession  is  the  telling  of  our  sins  to  a  duly 
authorized  priest,  for  the  purpose  of  obtaining  forgive- 
ness. 

"Duly  authorized" — one  sent  by  the  bishop  of  the  dio- 
cese in  which  you  are. 

"  Forgiveness."  You  might  tell  a  priest  all  your  sins 
while  in  ordinary  conversation  with  him,  but  that  would  not 
be  confession,  because  you  would  not  be  telling  them  to  have 
them  pardoned.  If  a  person  has  lost  the  use  of  his  speech, 
he  can  make  his  confession  by  writing  his  sins  on  a  paper  and 
giving  it  to  the  priest  in  the  confessional.  If  the  priest  re- 
turns the  paper  the  penitent  must  be  careful  to  destroy  it 
afterwards.  -Also,  if  you  have  a  poor  memory  you  may  write 
down  the  sins  you  wish  to  confess,  and  read  them  from  the 
paper  in  the  confessional;  then  you  also  must  be  careful  to 
destroy  the  paper  after  confession.  If  a  person  whose  lan- 
guage the  priest  d^yes  not  understand  is  dying,  or  is  obliged 
to  make  his  yearly  confession,  he  must  tell  what  he  can  by 
signs,  show  that  he  is  sorry  for  his  sins,  and  thus  receive  ab- 
solution. In  a  word,  the  priest  would  act  with  him  as  he 
would  with  one  who  had  lost  the  u?e  of  his  speech  and  power 
to  write. 

209  Q.  What  sins  are  we  bound  to  confess? 
A.  We  are  bound  to  confess  all  our  mortal  cms,  but  it 
is  well  also  to  confess  our  venial  sins. 

"Bound"— obliged  in  snch  a  way  thai  our  confession 
would  be  bad  if  we  did  not  tell  them. 


On  Corifessioji,  199 

'♦"Well,**  because  we  should  tell  all  the  sins  we  can  re- 
member; but  if  we  did  not  tell  a  venial  sin  after  we  had  told 
a  mortal  sin,  our  confession  would  not  be  bad.  Or  if  we  com- 
mitted a  little  venial  sin  after  confession,  that  should  not 
keep  us  from  Holy  Communion;  because  the  Holy  Commun- 
ion itself  would  blot  out  that  and  any  other  venial  sin  we 
might  have  upon  our  son  *  so  that  if  the  priest  tells  you  to 
go  to  Holy  Communion  you  should  never  let  anything  keep 
you  away,  unless  you  are  certain  you  have  committed  a  mortal 
sin  after  the  confession,  or  have  broken  your  fast.  If  you 
have  made  your  first  Communion,  the  priest  means  that  you 
should  go  to  Communion  after  the  coufession  in  which  he 
gives  you  absolution,  although  he  may  forget  to  tell  you  to  go. 
If  he  wishes  you  not  to  go  to  Holy  Communion,  he  will  always 
tell  you  not  to  go.  On  the  other  hand,  if  you  have  not  made 
your  first  Communion,  and  the  priest  should,  after  hearing 
your  confession,  tell  you  by  mistake  to  go  to  Communion,  do 
not  go;  but  if  you  can,  say  to  him  that  you  have  not  made 
^our  first  Communion;  and  whether  you  can  tell  him  or  not, 
do  not  go  to  Communion  after  confession  unless  you  have 
already  made  your  first  Communion. 

*  210  Q.  What  are  the  chief  qualities  of  a  good  con- 
fession P 

A.  The  chief  qualities  of  a  good  confession  are  three  t 
It  must  be  humble,  sincere,  and  entire. 

*  211  Q.  "When  is  our  confession  humble  P 

A.  Our  confession  is  humble  when  we  accuse  our- 
aelves  of  our  sins,  with  a  deep  sense  of  shame  and  sor- 
row for  having  offended  God. 

*  212  Q.  When  is  our  confession  sincere  P 

A.  Our  confession  is  sincere  when  we  tell  our  sins 
honestly  and  truthfully  neither  exaggerating  nor  ex- 
cusing them. 

"  Exaggerating."  You  must  never  tell  in  confession  a  sin 
yon  did  not  commit,  anv  more  than  conceal  one  yon  did  qoiu< 


200  On  ConfessioTb. 

mit.  You  mnbc  tell  just  the  sins  committed,  and  no  mora 
or  less;  and  if  you  are  in  doubt  whether  you  have  committed  the 
sin,  or  whether  the  thing  done  was  a  sin,  then  you  must  teU 
your  doubts  to  the  priest:  but  do  not  say  you  committed 
such  and  such  sins  when  you  do  not  know  whether  you  did 
or  not,  or  only  because  you  think  it  likely  that  you  did. 

*  213  Q.  When  is  our  confession  entire  P 
A.  Our  confession  is  entire  when  we  tell  tlie  numbex 
and   kinds   of  oux    sins  and  the  circumstances  which 
change  their  nature. 

** Number" — the  exact  number,  if  you  know  it:  as,  for  ex- 
ample, when  we  stay  from  Mass  we  can  generally  tell  exactly 
the  number  of  times.  But  when  we  tell  lies,  for  mstance,  we 
may  not  know  the  exact  number :  then  we  say  how  often  in 
the  day,  or  that  it  is  a  habit  with  us,  etc. 

**  Kinds  '* — whether  they  are  cursing,  or  stealing,  or  ly- 
ing, etc. 

**  Circumstances  which  change  their  nature.''  In  the  case 
of  stealing,  for  example,  you  need  not  tell  whether  it  was 
from  a  grocery,  a  bakery,  or  dry-goods  store  you  stole,  for 
that  circumstance  does  not  change  the  nature  of  the  sin: 
you  have  simply  to  tell  the  amount  you  took.  But  if  you 
stole  from  a  church  you  would  have  to  tell  that,  because  that 
is  a  circumstance  that  gives  the  sin  of  stealing  a  new  charac- 
ter, and  makes  it  sacrilegious  stealing.  Or  if  you  stole  from 
a  poor  beggar  all  he  possessed  in  the  world,  so  that  you  left 
him  starving,  that  would  be  a  circumstance  making  your  sin 
worse,  and  so  you  would  have  to  tell  it.  Therefore  you  have 
to  tell  any  circumstance  that  really  makes  your  sin  much 
worse  or  less  than  it  seems;  all  other  circumstances  you  need 
not  tell:  they  will  only  confuse  you,  and  make  you  forget  your 
Bins  and  waste  the  priest's  time. 

214  Q.  What  should  we  do  if  we  cannot  remember 
the  niunber  of  our  sins  ? 

A.  If  we  cannot  remember  the  nuinber  of  our  sins,  W€ 


On  Confession,  201 

should  tell  the  niimber  as  nearly  as  possible,  and  say 
how  often  we  have  sinned  in  a  day,  a  week,  or  a  month 
and  how  long  the  habit  or  practice  has  lasted. 

*  215  Q.  Is  our  confession  worthy  if,  without  our 
fault,  we  forget  to  confess  a  mortal  sin  ? 

A.  If  without  our  fault  we  forget  to  confess  a  mortal 
3in,  our  confession  is  worthy,  and  the  sin  is  forgiven; 
but  it  must  be  told  in  confession  if  it  again  comes  to 
our  mind. 

216  Q.  Is  it  a  grievous  offence  wilfully  to  conceal  a 
mortal  sin  in  confession? 

A.  It  is  a  grievous  offence  wilfully  to  conceal  a  mor- 
tal sin  in  confession,  because  we  thereby  tell  a  lie  to  the 
Holy  Ghost,  and  make  our  confession  worthless. 

"  A  lie  to  the  Holy  Ghost."  God  sees  every  sin  we  commit, 
and  in  His  presence  we  present  ourselves  to  the  priest  in  the 
coufessioual,  and  declare  that  we  are  confessing  all.  If,  then, 
we  wilfully  conceal  a  sin  that  we  are  bound  to  confess,  God  is 
a  witness  to  our  sacrilegious  lie.  If  I  see  you  in  some  place 
to  which  you  were  forbidden  to  go,  and  you,  knowing  that  1 
saw  you,  positively  deny  that  you  were  there,  your  guilt  would 
be  doubly  great,  for,  besides  the  sin  of  disobedience  committed 
by  going  to  the  forbidden  place,  you  also  resist  the  known 
truth,  and  endeavor  to  prove  that  I,  when  I  declare  I  saw  you, 
am  telling  what  is  untrue.  In  a  similar  manner,  concealing  a 
sin  in  confession  is  equivalent  to  denying  before  God  that  we 
are  guilty  of  it.  Besides,  it  is  a  great  folly  to  conceal  a  sin,  be- 
cause it  must  be  confessed  sooner  or  later,  and  the  longer  we 
conceal  it  the  deeper  will  be  our  sense  of  shame  for  the  sac- 
rileges committed.  Again,  why  should  one  be  ashamed  to 
confess  to  the  priest  what  he  has  not  been  ashamed  to  do  be- 
fore God,  unless  he  has  greater  respect  for  the  priest  than  he 
has  for  Almighty  God — an  absurdity  we  cannot  believe. 
Moreover,  the  shame  you  experience  in  telling  your  sins  is  & 
kind  of  penance  for  them.  Do  you  not  suppose  Our  Lord 
knew,  when  He  instituted  the  Sacrament  of  Penance,  that 


202  On  Confession. 

people  would  be  ashamed  to  confess  ?  Certainly  He  did;  and 
that  act  of  humility  is  pleasing  to  God,  and  is  a  kind  of  pun- 
ishment for  your  sins,  and  probably  takes  away  some  of  the 
punishment  you  would  have  to  suffer  for  them.  Often,  too, 
the  thought  of  having  to  confess  will  keep  you  from  commit- 
ting the  sin.  There  is  another  thought  that  should  encour 
age  us  to  gladly  make  a  full  confession  of  all  our  sins,  and  it 
is  this:  it  is  easier  to  tell  them  to  the  priest  alone  than  to 
have  them  exposed,  unforgiven,  before  the  whole  world  on  the 
day  of  judgment.  Do  not  imagine  that  your  confessor  will 
think  less  of  you  on  account  of  your  sins.  The  confessor 
does  not  think  of  your  sins  after  he  leaves  the  confessional. 
How  could  he  remember  all  the  confessions  he  hears— often 
hundreds  in  a  single  month  ?  And  what  is  more— he  does  not 
even  wish  to  recall  the  sinful  things  heard  in  the  confetjsional, 
because  he  wishes  to  keep  his  own  mind  pure,  and  his  soul  free 
from  every  stain.  The  priest  is  always  better  pleased  to  hear 
the  confession  of  a  great  sinner  or  of  one  who  has  been  a  long 
time  from  the  sacraments,  than  of  one  who  goes  frequently  or 
who  has  little  to  tell.  He  is  not  glad,  of  course,  that  the  sin- 
ner has  committed  great  sins,  but  he  is  glad  that  since  he  has 
had  the  misfortune  to  sin  so  much,  he  has  now  the  grace 
and  courage  to  seek  forgiveness.  Our  Lord  once  said  (Luke 
XV.  7)  while  preaching,  that  the  angels  and  saints  in  heaven 
rejoice  more  at  seeing  one  sinner  doing  penance  than  they  do 
over  ninety-nine  good  persons  who  did  not  need  to  do  penance. 
The  greater  the  danger  to  which  a  person  has  been  exposed,  the 
more  thankful  he  and  his  friends  are  for  escape  or  recovery 
from  it.  If  your  brother  fell  into  the  ocean  and  was  rescued 
just  as  he  was  going  down  for  the  last  time,  you  would  feel 
more  grateful  than  if  he  was  rescued  from  some  little  pond 
into  which  he  had  slipped,  and  in  which  there  was  scarcely 
any  danger  of  his  being  drowned.  So,  also,  the  nearer  we 
are  to  losing  our  souls  and  going  to  hell,  the  more  delighted 
the  angels  and  saints  are  when  we  are  saved.  One  who  has 
escaped  great  danger  will  more  carefully  avoid  similar  acci- 
dents in  the  future:  in  like  nmnner.  the  sinner,  after  having 


On  Cmijession.  203 

escaped  the  danger  of  eternal  death  by  the  pardon  of  his  sins, 
should  never  again  risk  his  salvation. 

217  Q.  What  must  he  do  who  has  wilfully  concealed 
a  mortal  sin  in  confession? 

A.  He  who  has  wilfully  concealed  a  mortal  sin  in 
confession  must  not  only  confess  it,  but  must  also  repeat 
all  the  sins  he  has  committed  since  his  last  worthy  con* 
fession. 

"  Wilfully.'*  Eemember,  forgetting  is  not  the  same  as 
concealing;  but  if  you  should  wilfully  neglect  to  examine  your 
conscience  or  make  any  effort  to  know  your  sins  before  going 
to  confession,  then  forgetting  would  be  equivalent  to  con- 
cealing. Without  any  preparation  your  confession  could 
hardly  be  a  good  one.  When  you  are  in  doubt  whether  an 
action  is  sinful  or  not,  or  whether  you  have  confessed  it  be- 
fore, you  should  not  leave  the  confessional  with  the  doubt 
upon  your  mind. 

It  is  a  foolish  practice,  however,  to  be  always  disturbing 
your  conscience  by  thinking  of  past  sins,  especially  of  those 
that  occurred  very  early  in  your  life.  Sometimes  it  is  dan- 
gerous; because  if,  while  thinking  of  your  past  sins,  you 
should  take  pleasure  in  them,  you  would  commit  a  new  sin 
similar  to  the  past  sins  in  which  you  take  delight. 

It  is  best,  therefore,  not  to  dwell  in  thought  upon  any  par- 
ticular past  sin  with  the  time,  place,  and  circumstances  of  its 
commission ;  but  simply  to  remember  in  general  that  you 
have  in  the  past  sinned  against  this  or  that  commandment  or 
virtue. 

The  past  is  no  longer  under  our  control,  while  the  future 
is,  and  becomes  for  us,  therefore,  the  all-important  portion  of 
our  lives.  Not  unfrequently  it  may  be  an  artifice  of  the  devil 
to  keep  us  so  occupied  with  past  deeds  that  we  may  not  at- 
tend to  the  dangers  of  the  future.  Do  not,  then,  after  your 
confession  spend  your  time  in  thinking  of  the  sins  you  con- 
fessed, but  of  how  you  will  avoid  them  in  the  future.  Wheu 
a  wound  is  healed  wa,  nohodv  thinks  of  opening  it  again  i{; 


2(34:  On  Confession. 

see  if  it  has  healed  properly;  so  wL  \  the  wounds  made  in 
our  souls  by  sin  are  healed  up  by  the  absolution,  we  should 
not  open  them  again. 

This  is  the  rule  with  regard  to  our  ordinary  confessions; 
but  we  should  sometimes  make  a  general  confession.  What 
is  a  general  confession  ?  It  is  the  confession  of  the  sins  of 
our  whole  life  or  of  a  portion — say  one,  two,  or  five,  etc.,  years 
—of  our  life.  A  general  confession  may  be  necessary,  useful, 
or  hurtful.  It  is  necessary,  as  you  know,  when  our  past  con- 
fessions were  bad.  It  is  useful,  though  not  necessary,  on. 
special  occasions  in  our  lives :  for  example,  in  the  time  of  a 
retreat  or  mission  ;  in  the  time  of  preparation  for  First  Com- 
munion, Confirmation,  Matrimony,  etc. ;  or  in  preparing  for 
death.  It  is  very  useful  also  for  persons  about  to  change 
their  state  in  life  ;  for  such  as  are  about  to  become  priests  or 
religious,  etc.  It  is  useful  because  it  gives  us  a  better  knowl- 
edge of  the  state  of  our  souls,  as  we  see  their  condition  not 
merely  for  a  month  or  two,  but  for  our  whole  lifetime.  We 
are  looking  at  them  as  God  will  look  at  them  in  the  last 
judgment,  considering  all  the  good  and  evil  \?e  have  ever 
done,  and  comparing  the  amount  of  the  one  with  th°  amount 
of  the  other.  We  resolve  to  increase  the  good  and  diminish 
the  evil  in  our  future  lives.  We  promise  tv.  do  penance  for 
the  past  and  to  avoid  sin  for  the  future;  and  thus  we  are  bene- 
fited in  general  confession  by  this  judgment  of  ourselves,  as 
we  may  call  it. 

General  confession  is  hurtful  to  scrupulous  persons. 
Scrupulous  persons  are  those  who  think  almost  everything 
they  do  a  sin.  They  are  always  dissatisfied  with  their  confes- 
sions, and  fear  to  approach  the  sacraments.  Their  conscience 
is  never  at  ease,  and  they  are  forever  unhappy.  It  is  ver}? 
wrong  for  them  to  think  and  act  in  this  manner,  and  they 
must  use  every  means  in  their  power  to  overcome  their  scru> 
pies. 

Our  Lord  in  His  goodness  never  intended  to  make  us  un 
happy  by  instituting  the  sacraments,  but  on  the  contrary  to 
make  us  happy,  and  set  our  minds  and  consciences  at  ease  in 


On  Confession.  205 

the  reception  of  His  grace.  Scrupulous  persons  must  do  ex- 
actly whatever  their  confessor  advises,  no  matter  what  they 
themselves  may  think.  Such  persons,  as  you  can  plainly  see, 
should  not  make  general  confessions,  because  their  consciences 
would  be  more  disturbed  than  pacified  by  them. 

You  prepare  for  general  confession  as  you  would  for  any 
other,  except  that  you  take  a  longer  time  for  it,  and  do  not 
pay  so  much  attention  to  your  more  trifling  sins. 

218  Q.  Why  does  the  priest  give  us  a  penance  after 
confession  ? 

A.  The  priest  gives  us  a  penance  after  confession,  that 
wo  may  satisfy  God  for  the  temporal  punishment  due  to 
our  sins. 

"Penance.*'  The  little  pejAance  the  priest  gives  may  not 
fully  satisfy  God,  but  shows  by  our  accepting  it  that  we  are 
willing  to  do  penance.  What,  for  example,  is  a  penance  of 
five  "Our  Fathers"  compared  with  the  guilt  of  one  mortal 
sin,  for  which  we  would  have  to  suffer  in  hell  for  all  eternity  ? 
Then  think  of  the  penances  performed  by  the  Christians 
many  centuries  ago,  in  the  early  ages  of  the  Church.  There 
were  four  stages  of  penance.  The  churches  were  divided 
into  four  parts  by  railings  and  gates.  The  first  railing  across 
the  church  was  at  some  distance  from  the  altar,  the  second 
was  a  little  below  the  middle  of  the  church,  and  the  third 
was  near  the  door.  Those  who  committed  great  sins  had  to 
stand  clad  in  coarse  garments  near  the  entrance  of  the  church, 
and  beg  the  prayers  of  those  who  entered.  After  they  had 
done  this  kind  of  penance  for  a  certain  time,  they  were  al- 
lowed to  come  into  the  church  as  far  as  the  second  railing. 
They  were  allowed  to  hear  the  sermon,  but  were  not  permitted 
to  be  present  at  the  Mass.  After  doing  sufficient  penance, 
they  were  allowed  to  remain  for  Mass,  but  could  not  receive 
Holy  Communion.  When  they  had  performed  all  the  pen- 
ance imposed  upon  them,  they  were  allowed  to  receive  the 
sacraments  and  enjoy  all  the  rights  and  privileges  of  faithful 
children  of  the  Church.     These  penances  lasted  for  many  days 


206  On  VcmjessiOTu 

and  sometimes  for  years,  according  to  the  gravity  of  the  sins 
committed.  The  sins  for  which  these  severe  penances  were 
performed  were  generally  sins  that  had  been  committed  pub- 
licly, and  hence  the  penance,  amendment,  and  reparation  had 
also  to  be  public. 

"  Temporal  punishment."  Every  sin  has  two  punishments 
attached  to  it,  one  called  the  eternal  and  the  other  the  temporaL 
Let  me  explain  by  an  example.  If  I,  turning  highway  rob- 
ber, waylay  a  man,  beat  him  and  steal  his  watch,  I  do  him, 
as  you  see,  a  double  injury,  and  deserve  a  double  punishment 
for  the  twofold  crime  of  beating  and  robbing  him.  He 
might  pardon  me  for  the  injuries  caused  by  the  beating,  but 
that  would  not  free  me  from  the  oblisration  of  restoring  to 
him  his  watch  or  its  value,  for  the  fact  that  he  forgives  me 
for  the  act  of  stealing  does  not  give  me  the  right  to  keep 
what  justly  belongs  to  him.  Now,  when  we  sin  against  God 
we  in  the  first  place  insult  Him,  and  secondly  rob  Him  ol 
what  is  deservedly  His  due;  namely,  the  worship,  respect, 
obedience,  love,  etc.,  that  we  owe  Him  as  our  Creator,  PrC' 
server,  and  Redeemer. 

In  the  Sacrament  of  Penance  God  forgives  the  insult  of- 
fered by  sinning,  but  requires  us  to  make  restitution  for  that 
of  which  the  sin  has  deprived  Him.  In  every  sin  there  is  an 
act  of  turning  away  from  God  and  an  act  of  turning  to  some 
creature  in  His  stead.  If  a  soldier  pledged  to  defend  his 
country  deserts  his  army  in  time  of  war,  he  is  guilty  of  a  dis- 
honorable, contemptible  act ;  bat  if,  besides  deserting  his  own 
army,  he  goes  over  to  aid  the  enemy,  he  becomes  guilty  of  an- 
other and  still  greater  crime — he  becomes  a  traitor  for  whom 
the  laws  of  nations  reserve  their  severest  penalties.  By  sin 
we,  who  in  Baptism  and  Confirmation  have  promised  to  serve 
God  and  war  against  His  enemies,  desert  Him  and  go  over  to 
them  ;  for  Our  Blessed  Lord  has  said:  He  that  is  not  with 
Me  is  against  Me. 

We  pay  the  temporal  debt  due  to  our  sins,  that  is,  make 
the  restitution,  by  our  penances  upon  earth,  or  by  our  suffer- 
ings in  Purgatory,  or  by  both  combined. 

The  penances  Derformed  unon  earth  are  very  acceptable 


On  Confession.  20? 

and  pleasing  to  God  ;  and  hence  we  should  be  most  anxious 
to  do  penance  here  that  we  may  have  less  to  suffer  in  Pur- 
gatory. St.  Augustine,  who  had  been  a  great  sinner,  often 
prayed  that  God  might  send  him  many  tribulations  while  on 
earth,  that  he  might  have  less  to  endure  in  Purgatory, 
Therefore,  after  performing  the  penance  the  priest  gives  you 
in  the  confessional,  it  is  wise  to  impose  upon  yourself  other 
light  penances  in  keeping  with  your  age  and  condition,  but 
never  undertake  severe  penances  or  make  religious  vows  and 
promises  without  consulting  your  confessor.  In  every  case 
be  careful  first  of  all  to  perform  the  penance  imposed  upon 
you  in  the  reception  of  the  sacrament.  The  penance  given  in 
confession  has  a  special  value,  which  none  of  the  penances  se- 
lected by  yourself  could  have. 

If  you  forget  to  say  your  penance,  your  confession  is  not 
on  that  account  worthless;  but  as  the  penance  is  one  of  the 
parts  of  the  sacrament,  namely,  the  satisfaction,  you  should 
say  it  as  soon  as  possible,  and  in  the  manner  your  confessor 
directs.  If  you  cannot  perform  the  penance  imposed  by 
your  confessor,  you  should  inform  him  of  that  fact,  and  ask 
him  to  give  you  another  in  its  stead. 

Indulgences  also  are  a  means  of  satisfying  for  this  tem- 
poral punishment.  Sometimes  God  inflicts  the  temporal 
punishment  in  this  world  by  sending  us  misfortunes  or  suf- 
ferings, especially  such  as  are  brought  on  by  the  sins  com- 
mittcdo 

*  219  Q.  Does  not  the  Sacrament  of  Penance  remit  all 
punishment  due  to  sin? 

A.  The  Sacrament  of  Penance  remits  the  eternal 
punishment  due  to  sin,  but  it  does  not  always  remit  the 
temporal  punishment  which  God  requires  as  satisfaction 
for  oux  sins. 

Remember  that  baptism  differs  from  penance  in  this  re- 
spect, thut  although  they  both  remit  sin,  penance  does  not 
take  away  all  the  temporal  punishment,  while  baptism  takes 
away  all  the  punishment,  both  eternal  and  temporal;  so  that 
if  we  died  immediately  after  baoti«m  we  would  go  directly  to 


208  On  Confession. 

heaven,  while  if  we  died  immediately  after  peiiaaoe  we  would 
generally  go  to  purgatory  to  make  satisfaction  for  the  tem- 
poral guilt. 

*220  Q.  Why  does  God  require  a  temporal  punish- 
ment as  a  satisfaction  for  sin? 

A.  God  requires  a  temporal  pxinishment  as  a  satis- 
faction for  sin  to  teach  us  the  great  evil  of  sin,  and  to 
prevent  us  from  falling  again. 

*221  Q.  "Which  are  the  chief  means  by  which  we 
satisfy  God  for  the  temporal  pujiishment  due  to  sin? 

A.  The  chief  means  by  which  we  satisfy  God  for 
the  temporal  punishment  due  to  sin  are :  prayer,  fasting, 
almsgiving,  all  spiritual  and.  corporal  works  of  mercy, 
and  the  patient  suffering  of  the  ills  of  life. 

"  Chief,"  but  not  the  only  means.  "  Fasting,"  especially 
the  fasts  imposed  by  the  Church — in  Lent  for  instance.  Lent 
is  the  forty  days  before  Easter  Sunday  during  which  we 
fast  and  pray  to  prepare  ourselves  for  the  resurrection  of  Our 
Lord,  and  also  to  remind  us  of  His  own  fast  of  forty  days 
before  His  Passion.  "  Almsgiving  " — that  is,  money  or  goods 
given  to  the  poor.  "Spiritual"  works  of  mercy  are  those 
good  works  we  do  for  persons'  souls.  "  Corporal "  works  of 
mercy  are  those  we  do  for  their  bodies.  "  Ills  of  life" — sick- 
ness or  poverty  or  misfortune,  especially  when  we  have  not 
brought  them  upon  ourselves  by  sin. 

*  222  Q.  Which  are  the  chief  spiritual  works  of 
mercy  ? 

A.  The  chief  spiritual  works  of  mercy  are  seven: 
to  admonish  the  sinner,  to  instruct  the  ignorant,  to 
counsel  the  doubtful,  to  comfort  the  sorrowful,  to  bear 
wrongs  patiently,  to  forgive  all  injuries,  and  to  pray  for 
the  living  and  the  dead. 

"  To  admonish  the  sinner."  If  we  love  our  neighbor  we 
should  help  him  in  his  distress,  even  when  it  is  an  inconvenience 
to  us.  We  should  help  him  also  to  correct  his  faults,  we 
should  point  them  out  and  warn  him  of  them.  We  are 
oblififed  to  do  so  in  the  followine  circumstances:  First.  When 


On  Confession.  209 

nis  fault  is  a  mortal  sin.  Second.  When  >,t'  .ia>«  some  au- 
thority or  influence  over  him.  Third.  When  there  is  reason 
to  believe  that  our  warning  will  make  him  better  instead  of 
worse.  If  our  advice  only  makes  him  worse,  then  we  should 
not  say  anything  to  him  about  his  fault,  but  keep  out  of  his 
•company  ourselves.  "  Ignorant"  especially  in  their  religion. 
"  Doubtful "  about  something  in  religion  which  you  can  ex- 
plain and  make  clear  to  them.  "  Comfort,"  saying  kind 
words  of  encouragement  to  them.  "Wrongs,"  things  not 
deserved;  for  example,  persons  talking  ill  about  us,  accus- 
ing us  falsely,  etc.;  but  if  the  false  accusations,  etc.,  are  go- 
ing to  give  scandal,  then  we  must  defend  ourselves  against 
them.  If,  for  instance,  lies  were  told  about  the  father  of  a 
family,  and  it  were  likely  all  his  children  would  believe  them 
and  lose  their  respect  for  his  authority,  then  he  must  let 
them  know  the  truth.  But  when  we  patiently  suffer  wrongs 
that  injure  only  ourselves,  and  that  are  known  only  to  God 
and  ourselves,  God  sees  our  sufferings  and  rewards  us.  What 
matters  it  what  people  think  we  are  if  God  knows  all  our 
doings  and  is  pleased  with  them  ?  "  Living" — especially  for 
the  conversion  of  sinners,  or  for  those  who  are  on  their  death- 
bed. *'The  dead" — those  suffering  in  purgatory,  especially 
if  we  have  ever  caused  them  to  sin. 

*  223  Q.  Which    are     the     chief    corporal    works     of 
mercy  ? 

A.  The  chief  corporal  works  of  mercy  are  seven: 
to  feed  the  hungry,  to  give  drink  to  the  thirsty,  to 
clothe  the  naked,  to  ransom  the  captive,  to  harbor  the 
harborless,  to  visit  the  sick,  and  to  bury  the  dead. 

"  Ransom  the  captive  " — that  is,  chiefly  those  who  v/hile 
teaching  or  defending  the  true  religion  in  pagan  lands  are 
taken  prisoners  by  the  enemies  of  our  faith.  You  have  per- 
haps heard  of  the  Crusades  or  read  about  them  in  your  his- 
tory. Now  let  me  briefly  tell  you  what  they  were  and  why 
they  were  commenced.  About  the  year  570,  that  is,  about 
thirteen  hundred  years  ago,  when  the  Christian  religion  was 
spread  over  nearly  the  whole  world,  a  man  named  Mahomet 
was  born  in  Arabia.    He  pretended  to  be  a  great  prophet  sent 


210  On  Confession. 

from  God,  aud  gathered  many  followers  about  him.  He  told 
them  his  religion  must  be  spread  by  the  sword.  He  plun- 
dered cities  and  towns,  and  divided  the  spons  with  his  follow- 
ers. He  told  them  that  all  who  died  fighting  for  him  would 
certainly  go  to  heaven.  In  a  short  time  his  followers  became 
very  numerous ;  for  his  religion  was  an  easy  and  profitable 
one,  allowing  them  to  commit  sin  without  fear  of  punishment, 
and  giving  them  share  of  his  plunder.  Many  others  not  in- 
fluenced by  these  motives  joined  his  religion  for  fear  of  being 
put  to  death.  His  followers  were  afterwards  called  by  the 
general  name  of  Saracens.  They  took  possession  of  the  Holy 
Land,  of  the  city  of  Jerusalem,  of  the  tomb  of  Our  Lord,  aud 
of  every  spot  rendered  dear  to  Christians  by  Our  Saviour's 
life  aud  labors  there.  They  persecuted  the  Christians  who 
went  to  visit  the  Holy  Land,  and  put  many  of  them  to  death. 
When  the  news  of  these  dreadful  crimes  reached  Europe,  the 
Christian  kings  and  princes,  at  the  request  of  the  Pope,  raised 
large  armies  and  set  out  for  the  East  to  war  against  the  Sara- 
cens and  recover  the  Holy  Land.  Eight  of  these  expeditions, 
or  crusades,  as  they  are  called,  went  out  during  two  hundred 
years,  that  is,  from  1095  to  1273.  Those  who  took  part  in 
them  are  called  crusaders,  from  the  word  cross,  because  every 
soldier  wore  a  red  cross  upon  his  shoulder. 

Some  of  these  expeditions  were  successful,  aud  some  were 
not;  but,  on  the  whole,  they  prevented  the  Saracens  from 
coming  to  Europe  and  taking  possession  of  it.  Many  of  the 
Christian  soldiers  and  many  of  the  pilgrims  who  visited  the 
Holy  Land  were  taken  prisoners  by  the  Saracens  and  held, 
threatened  with  death,  till  the  Christians  in  Europe  paid  large 
sums  of  money  as  a  ransom  for  their  liberty.  To  free  these 
captives  was  a  great  act  of  charity,  and  is  one  of  the  corporal 
works  of  mercy.  Ransom  means  to  pay  money  for  another's 
freedom.  Even  now  there  are  sometimes  captives  in  pagan 
lands. 

A  pilgrim  is  one  who  goes  on  a  journey  to  visit  some  holy 
place  for  the  purpose  of  thus  honoring  God.  He  would  not 
be  a  pilgrim  if  he  went  merely  through  curiosit}^  He  must 
go  with  the  holy  intention  of  making;,  his  visit  an  act  of 


vn  Uon/^s8i<yrC  211 

■worship.  In  our  time  pilgrimages  to  the  Holy  Land,  to 
Eome,  and  other  places  are  quite  frequent.  "  To  harbor" — 
that  is,  to  give  one  who  has  no  home  a  place  of  rest.  A  har- 
bor is  an  inlet  of  the  ocean  where  ships  can  rest  and  be  out  of 
danger;  so  we  can  also  call  the  home  or  place  of  rest* given  to 
the  homeless  a  harbor.  "  Sick,"  especially  the  sick  poor  and 
those  who  have  no  friends.  "  To  bury"  those  who  are  stran- 
gers and  have  no  friends.  All  Christians  are  bound  to  perform 
these  works  of  mercy  in  one  way  or  another.  We  have  been 
relieved  of  doing  the  work  ourselves  by  the  establishment  of 
institutions  where  these  things  are  attended  to  by  communi- 
ties of  holy  men  or  women  called  religious.  They  take  charge 
of  asylums  for  the  orphans,  homes  for  the  aged  and  poor, 
hospitals  for  the  sick,  etc.,  while  many  devote  themselves  to 
teaching  in  colleges,  academies,  and  schools.  But  if  these 
good  religious  do  the  work  for  us,  we  are  obliged  on  our  part 
to  give  them  the  means  to  carry  it  on.  Therefore  we  should 
contribute,  according  to  our  means,  to  charitable  institutions, 
and  indeed  to  all  institutions  that  promote  the  glory  of  God 
and  the  good  of  our  religion.  To  explain  more  fully,  religious 
are  self-sacrificing  men  and  women  who,  wishing  to  follow 
the  evangelical  counsels,  dedicate  their  lives  to  the  service  of 
God.  They  live  together  in  communities  approved  by  the 
Church,  under  the  rule  and  guidance  of  their  superiors. 
Their  day  is  divided  between  prayer,  labor,  and  good  works, 
more  time  being  given  to  one  or  other  of  these  according  to 
the  special  end  or  aim  of  the  community.  The  houses  in 
which  they  live  are  called  convents  or  monasteries,  and  the 
societies  of  which  they  are  members  are  called  religious  or- 
ders, communities,  or  congregations.  In  some  of  these  relig- 
ious communities  of  men  all  the  members  are  priests,  in 
others  some  are  priests  and  some  are  brothers,  and  in  others 
still  all  are  brothers.  Priests  belonging  to  the  religious  orders 
are  called  the  regular  clergy,  to  distinguish  them  from  the 
secular  clergy  or  priests  who  live  and  labor  in  the  parishes  to 
which  they  are  assigned  by  their  bishops.  Sisters  and  nuns 
mean  almost  the  same  thing,  but  we  generally  call  those  nuns 
who  live  under  a  more  severe  rule  and  never  leave  the  bound- 


212  On  Confession. 

aries  of  their  convent.  In  like  manner  friars,  monks,  and 
brothers  lead  almost  the  same  kind  of  life,  except  that  the 
monks  practise  greater  penances  and  live  under  stricter 
rules,  A  hermit  is  a  holy  man  who  lives  alone  in  some  desert 
or  lonely  place,  and  spends  his  life  in  prayer  and  mortification. 
In  the  early  ages  of  the  Church  there  were  many  of  these 
hermits,  or  fathers  of  the  desert,  but  now  religious  live  to- 
gether in  communities. 

The  members  of  religious  orders  of  men  or  women  take 
three  vows,  namely,  of  poverty,  chastity,  and  obedience. 
These  orders  were  founded  by  holy  persons  for  some  special 
work  approved  of  by  the  Church.  Thus  the  Dominicans  were 
founded  by  St.  Dominic,  and  their  special  work  was  to  preach 
the  Gospel  and  convert  heretics  or  persons  who  had  fallen 
away  from  the  faith.  The  Jesuit  fathers  were  organized  by 
St.  Ignatius  Loyola,  and  their  work  is  chiefly  teaching  in  col- 
leges, and  giving  retreats  and  missions.  So  also  have  the  Ke- 
demptorists,  Franciscans,  Passionists,  etc.,  their  special  works, 
chiefly  the  giving  of  missions.  In  a  word,  every  community, 
of  either  men  or  women,  must  perform  the  particular  work 
for  which  it  was  instituted. 

But  why,  you  will  ask,  are  there  different  religious  orders  ? 
In  the  first  place,  all  persons  are  not  fitted  for  the  same  kind 
of  work:  some  can  teach,  others  cannot;  some  can  bear  the 
fatigue  of  nursing  the  sick,  and  others  cannot.  Secondly, 
when  Our  Lord  was  on  earth  He  performed  every  good  work 
and  practised  every  virtue  perfectly.  He  fasted,  prayed, 
helped  the  needy,  comforted  the  sorrowful,  healed  the  sick, 
taught  the  ignorant,  defended  the  oppressed,  admonished  sin- 
ners, etc.  It  would  be  impossible  for  any  one  community  to 
imitate  Our  Lord  in  all  His  works,  so  each  community  takes 
one  or  more  particular  works  of  Our  Lord,  and  trios  to  imitate 
Him  as  perfectly  as  possible  in  these  at  least.  Some  com- 
munities devote  their  time  to  prayer;  others  attend  the  sick; 
others  teach,  etc.;  and  thus  when  all  unite  their  difl'erent 
works  the  combined  result  is  a  more  perfect  imitation  of  Our 
Lord's  life  upon  earth. 


Vn  the  Manner  o/  Making  a  Good  Confession,      "i^^H 


*  LESSON  TWENTIETH. 
ON  THE  MANNER  OF  MAKING  A  GOOD  CONFESSION. 

*  224  Q.  What  should  we  do  on  entering  the  confes- 
sional ? 

A.  On  entering  the  confessional  we  should  kneel, 
make  the  sign  of  the  cross,  and  say  to  the  priest: 
"  Bless  me,  father ;"  then  add,  "  I  confess  to  Almighty 
God,  and  to  you,  father,  that  I  have  sinned." 

*  225  Q.  Which  are  the  first  things  we  should  tell  the 
priest  in  confession? 

A.  The  first  things  we  should  tell  the  priest  in  con- 
fession are  the  time  of  our  last  confession  and  whether 
we  said  the  penance  and  went  to  holy  Communion. 

*  226  Q.  After  telling  the  time  of  our  last  confession 
and  Communion,  what  should  we  do? 

A.  After  telling  the  time  of  our  last  confession  and 
Communion  we  should  confess  all  the  mortal  sins  we 
have  since  committed,  and  all  the  venial  sins  we  may 
wish  to  mention. 

"  We  may  wish/'  We  should  tell  every  real  sin  we  have 
never  eo/iEessed.  If  we  have  no  mortal  sin  to  confess,  it  is 
well  to  teil  some  kind  of  mortal  sin  we  have  committed  in  our 
past  life,  though  confessed  before.  We  should  do  this  be- 
cause when  we  have  only  very  small  sins  to  confess  there  is 
always  danger  that  we  may  not  be  truly  sorry  for  them,  and 
without  sorrow  there  is  no  forgiveness.  But  when  we  add  to 
our  confession  some  mortal  sin  that  we  know  we  are  sorry  for, 
then  our  sorrow  extends  to  all  our  sins,  and  makes  us  certain 
that  our  confession  is  a  good  one.  If  you  should  hear  the  sin 
of  another  person  while  you  are  waiting  to  make  your  own 
confession,  you  must  keep  that  sin  secret  forever.     If  the  per- 


214      On  the  Manner  of  Making  a  Good  Confession. 

son  in  the  confessional  is  speaking  too  loud,  you  should  move 
away  so  as  not  to  hear;  and  if  you  cannot  move,  hold  your 
hands  on  your  ears  so  that  you  may  not  hear  what  is  being 
said. 

*  227  Q.  What  must  we  do  when  the  confessor  asks 
us  questions? 

A.  When  the  confessor  asks  us  questions,  we  must 
answer  them  truthfully  and  clearly. 

*  228  Q.  What  should  we  do  after  telling  our  sins? 
A.  After  telling  our  sins  we  should  listen  with  at- 
tention  to  the   advice   which  the   confessor   may  think 
proper  to  give. 

The  priest  in  the  confessional  acts  as  judge,  father, 
teacher,  and  physician.  As  judge  he  listens  to  your  accusations 
against  yourself,  and  passes  sentence  according  to  your  guilt 
or  innocence.  As  a  father  and  teacher  he  loves  you,  and  tries 
to  protect  you  from  your  enemies  by  warning  you  against 
them,  and  teaching  you  the  means  to  overcome  them.  But 
above  all,  he  is  a  physician,  who  will  treat  your  soul  for  its 
ills  and  restore  it  to  spiritual  health.  He  examines  the  sins 
you  have  committed,  discovers  their  causes,  and  then  pre- 
scribes the  remedies  to  be  used  in  overcoming  them.  When 
anything  goes  amiss  with  our  bodily  health  we  speedily  have 
recourse  to  the  physician,  listen  anxiously  to  what  he  has  to 
say,  and  use  the  remedies  prescribed.  In  the  very  same  way 
we  must  follow  the  priest's  advice  if  we  wish  our  souls  to  be 
cured  of  their  maladies.  Just  as  a  person  who  is  unwell  would 
not  go  one  day  to  one  physician  and  the  next  day  to  another, 
so  a  penitent  should  not  change  confessors  without  a  good 
reason ;  and  if  you  have  any  choice  to  make  let  it  be  made  in 
the  beginning,  and  let  it  rest  on  worthy  motives.  In  a  short 
time  your  confessor  will  understand  the  state  of  your  soul,  as 
the  physician  who  frequently  examines  you  does  the  state  of 
your  body.  He  will  know  all  the  temptations,  trials,  and 
difficulties  with  which  you  have  to   contend.     He  will  see 


On  the  Manner  of  Making  a  Good  Confession.      215 

whether  you  are  becoming  better  or  worse  ;  whether  you  are 
resisting  your  bad  habits  or  falling  more  deeply  into  them  ; 
also,  whether  the  remedies  given  are  suited  to  you,  and 
whether  you  are  using  them  properly.  All  this  your  confessor 
will  know,  and  it  will  save  you  the  trouble  of  always  repeat- 
ing, and  him  the  trouble  of  always  asking.  Thus  the  better 
your  confessor  knows  you  and  all  the  circumstances  of  your 
life,  the  more  will  he  be  able  to  help  you  ;  for  besides  the  for- 
giveness of  your  sins  there  are  many  other  benefits  derived 
from  the  Sacrament  of  Penance. 

But  if  at  any  time  there  should  be  danger  of  you-  making 
a  bad  confession  to  your  own  confessor, — on  account  of  some 
feeling  of  false  shame, — then  go  to  any  confessor  you  please  ; 
for  it  is  a  thousand  times  better  to  seek  another  confessor 
than  run  the  risk  of  making  a  sacrilegious  confession. 

Never  be  so  much  attached  to  any  one  confessor  that 
you  would  remain  away  from  the  sacraments  a  long  time 
rather  than  go  to  another  in  his  absence. 

You  should  not  consider  the  person  in  the  confessional, 
but  the  power  he  exercises.  You  should  be  anxious  concern- 
ing only  this  fact :  Is  there  a  priest  there  who  was  sent  by 
Our  Lord  ?  Is  there  a  minister  of  Christ  there  who  has 
power  to  pardon  my  sins  ?  If  so,  I  will  humbly  go  to  him,  no 
matter  who  he  is  or  what  his  dispositions. 

*  229  Q.  How  should  we  end  our  confession  ? 

A.  We  should  end  our  confession  by  saying,  "I  also 
accuse  myself  of  all  the  sins  of  my  past  life,"  telling,  if 
we  choose,  one  or  several  of  our  past  sins. 

*  230  Q.  What    should    we    do    while    the    priest    is 
giving  us  absolution? 

A.  While  the  priest  is  giving  us  absolution,  we 
should  from  our  heart  renew  the  act  of  contrition. 

All,  especially  children,  should  know  this  act  well  before 
going  to  confession. 


216  On  Indulgences. 


LESSON  TWENTY-FIRST. 

ON  INDULGENCES. 

231  Q.  What  is  an  indiilgence  ? 

A.  An  indulgence  is  the  remission  in  whole  or  in 
part  of  the  temporal  punishment  due  to  sin. 

I  HAVE  explained  before  what  the  temporal  punishment  is; 
n&mely,  the  debt  which  we  owe  to  God  after  He  has  forgiven 
our  sins,  and  which  we  must  pay  in  order  that  satisfaction  be 
made.  It  is,  as  I  said,  the  vakie  of  the  watch  we  must  return 
ttfter  we  have  been  pardoned  for  the  act  of  stealing.  I  said 
this  punishment  must  be  blotted  out  by  our  penance.  Now, 
the  Church  gives  us  an  easy  means  of  so  doing,  by  granting 
us  indulgences.  She  helps  us  by  giving  us  a  share  in  the 
merits  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  and  of  the  saints.  All  this  we 
have  explained  M'hen  speaking  in  the  Creed  of  the  commun- 
ion of  saints. 


*  232  Q.  Is  an  indulgence  a  pardon  of  sin,  or  a  license 
to  commit  sin? 

A.  An  indulgence  is  not  a  pardon  of  sin,  nor  a 
license  to  commit  sin,  and  one  who  is  in  a  state  of  mor- 
tal sin  cannot  gain  an  indulgence. 

If  you  are.  in  a  state  of  mortal  sin  you  lose  the  merit  of 
any  good  works  you  perform.  God  promises  to  reward  us  for 
good  works,  and  if  we  are  in  a  state  of  grace  when  we  do  the 
good  works,  God  will  keep  His  promise  and  give  us  the  re- 
ward; but  if  we  are  in  mortal  sin,  we  have  no  right  or  claim 
to  any  reward  for  good  works,  because  we  are  enemies  of  God. 


On  Indulgences.  217 

I'or  this  reason  alcne  we  should  never  remaixi  cveu  lur  a  short 
time  in  mortal  sin,  since  it  is  important  for  us  to  have  all  the 
merit  we  can.  Even  when  we  will  not  repent  and  return  to 
Him,  God  rewards  us  for  good  works  done  by  giving  us  some 
temporal  blessings  or  benefits  here  upon  earth.  He  never 
allows  any  good  work  to  go  unrewarded  any  more  than  He 
allows  an  evil  deed  to  go  unpunished.  Although  God  is  so 
good  to  us  we  nevertheless  lose  very  much  by  being  in  a  state 
of  mortal  sin;  for  God^s  grace  is  in  some  respects  like  the 
money  in  a  bank :  the  more  grace  we  receive  and  the  better 
we  use  it,  the  more  He  will  bestow  upon  us.  When  you 
deposit  money  in  a  savings-bank,  you  get  interest  for  it;  and 
when  you  leave  the  interest  also  in  the  bank,  it  is  added  to 
your  capital,  and  thus  you  get  interest  for  the  interest.  So 
God  not  only  gives  us  grace  to  do  good,  but  also  grace  for 
doing  the  good,  or,  in  other  words.  He  gives  us  grace  for 
using  His  grace. 

233  Q.  How  many  kinds  of  indulgences  are  there  ? 

A.  There  are  two  kinds  of  indulgences— plenary  and 
partial. 

234  Q.  "What  is  a  plenary  indulgence? 

A.  A  plenary  indulgence  is  the  full  remission  of  the 
temporal  punishment  due  to  sin. 

"  Full  remission ;"  so  that  if  you  gained  a  plenary  indul- 
gence and  died  immediately  afterwards,  you  would  go  at  once 
to  heaven.  Persons  go  to  purgatory,  as  you  know,  to  have 
the  temporal  punishment  blotted  out;  but  if  you  have  no 
temporal  punishment  to  make  satisfaction  for,  there  is  no 
purgatory  for  you.  It  is  very  hard  to  gain  a  plenary  indul- 
gence, as  you  may  understand  from  its  very  great  advantages. 
To  gain  it  we  must  not  only  hate  sin  and  be  heartily  sorry 
even  for  our  venial  sins,  but  we  must  not  have  a  desire  for 
even  venial  sin.  However,  we  should  always  try  to  gain  a 
plenary  indulgence,  for  in  so  doing  we  always  gain  part  of  it 


218  On  Indulgences. 

or  a  partial  indulgence,  greater  or  less  according  to  our  dis- 
positions. 

235  Q.  What  is  a  partial  indulgence? 
A.  A  partial  indulgence  is  the  remission  of  a  part  of 
the  temporal  punishment  due  to  sin. 

*  236  Q.  How  does  the   Church   by  means  of  indul- 
gences remit  the  temporal  punishment  due  to  sins? 

A.  The  Church  by  means  of  indulgences  remits  the 
temporal  punishment  due  to  sin  by  applying  to  us  the 
merits  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  superabundant  satisfac- 
tions of  the  Blessed  Virgin  Mary  and  of  the  saints, 
which  merits  and  satisfactions  are  its  spiritual  treas- 
ury. 

"  Superabundant"  means  more  tliiin  was  necessary.  (See 
explanation  of  communion  of  saints  in  the  "  Creed.") 

237  Q.  What  must  we  do  to  gain  an  indulgence? 
A.  To  gain  an  indulgence  we  must  be  in  a  state  of 
grace  and  perform  the  works  enjoined. 

"Works" — to  visit  certain  churches  or  altars;  to  give 
alms;  to  say  certain  prayers;  etc.  For  a  plenary  indulgence 
it  is  required  generally  to  go  to  confession  and  Holy  Com- 
munion, and  to  pray  for  the  intention  of  our  Holy  Father  the 
Pope.  When  an  indulgence  may  be  gained  by  praying  for 
the  intention  of  our  Holy  Father,  it  will  be  sufficient  to  say  five 
Our  Fathers  and  five  Hail  Marys  for  his  intention.  Now, 
what  does  praying  for  the  intention  of  the  Pope  or  bishop  or 
any  one  else  mean  ?  It  does  not  mean  that  you  are  to  pray 
for  the  Pope  himself,  but  for  whatever  he  is  praying  for  or 
wishes  you  to  pray  for.  For  instance,  on  one  day  the  Holy 
Father  may  be  praying  for  the  success  of  some  missions  that 
he  is  establishing  in  pagan  lands;  on  another,  he  may  be  pray- 
ing that  the  enemies  of  the  Church  may  not  succeed  in  their 


On  Indvlgences.  219 

plans  against  it;  on  another,  he  may  be  praying  for  the  con- 
version of  some  nation,  and  soon; — whatever  he  is  praying  for 
or  wishes  you  to  pray  for  is  called  his  intention.  To  gain  an 
indulgence  you  should  also  have  the  intention  of  gaining  it. 
There  are  many  prayers  that  we  sometimes  say  to  which 
indulgences  are  attached,  and  we  do  not  know  it.  How  can 
we  gain  them?  By  making  a  general  intention  every  morn- 
ing while  saying  our  prayers  to  gain  all  the  indulgences  we 
can  during  the  day,  whether  we  know  of  them  or  not.  For 
example,  there  is  an  indulgence  of  fifty  days  granted  us  every 
time  we  make  the  sign  of  the  cross,  being  sorry  for  our  sins; 
and  if  we  make  it  with  holy  water  we  can  gain  one  hundred 
days'  indulgence.  Many  may  not  know  of  these  indulgences; 
but  if  they  have  the  general  intention  mentioned  above,  they 
will  gain  the  indulgence  every  time  they  perform  the  work.  In 
the  same  way  all  those  who  are  in  the  habit  of  going  to  con- 
fession and  Holy  Communion  every  week  can  gain  all  the 
plenary  indulgences  for  which  confession  and  Holy  Com- 
munion are  required  conditions,  and  even  when  they  do  not 
know  that  they  are  gaining  indulgences. 

You  sometimes  see  printed  after  a  little  prayer:  An  indul- 
gence of  forty  days,  or,  an  indulgence  of  one  hundred  days,  or 
of  a  year,  etc.  What  does  that  mean  ?  Does  it  mean  that  a 
person  who  says  that  prayer  will  get  out  of  purgatory  forty 
days  sooner  than  he  would  if  he  did  not  say  it?  No.  I 
told  you  how  the  early  Christians  were  obliged  to  do  public 
penance  for  their  sins;  to  stand  at  the  door  of  the  church  and 
beg  the  prayers  of  those  entering.  Sometimes  their  penance 
lasted  for  forty  days,  sometimes  for  one  hundred  days,  and 
sometimes  for  a  longer  period.  By  an  indulgence  of  forty 
days  the  Church  grants  the  remission  of  as  much  of  the  tem- 
poral punishment  as  the  early  Christians  would  have  received 
for  doing  forty  days'  public  penance.  Just  how  much  of  the 
temporal  punishment  God  blotted  out  for  forty  days'  public 
penance  we  do  not  know;  but  whatever  it  was,  God  blots  out 
just  the  same  now  for  one  who  gains  an  indulgence  of  forty 


220  On  Indulgences. 

days  by  saying  a  little  prayer  to  which  the  indulgence  is 
attached.  But  why,  you  may  wonder,  did  the  early  Christians 
do  such  penances  ?  Because  in  those  days  their  faith  was 
stronger  than  ours,  and  they  understood  better  than  we  do 
the  malice  of  sin  and  the  punishment  it  deserves.  Later  the 
Christians  grew  more  careless  about  their  religion  and  the 
service  of  God.  The  Church  therefore,  wishing  to  save  its 
children,  made  it  easier  for  them  to  do  penance.  If  it  con- 
tinued to  impose  the  public  penances,  many  would  not  per- 
form them,  and  thus  lose  their  souls. 

Besides  indulgences  granted  for  saying  certain  prayers  or 
doing  certain  good  works,  there  are  others  granted  for  certain 
persons,  places,  or  things.  For  instance,  a  pair  of  beads  or  a 
cross  may  have  an  indulgence  attached  which  you  can  gain  by 
using  them.  A  church  or  altar  may  have  an  indulgence  at- 
tached which  you  can  gain  by  visiting  them  on  certain  days. 
A  certain  priest  may  have  the  power  granted  him  by  the  Holy 
Father  of  blessing  crosses,  medals,  etc.,  with  special  indul- 
gences attached. 


On  the  Holy  Eucharist.  221 


LESSON  TWENTY-SECOND. 
ON  THE   HOLY   EUCHARIST. 

238  Q.  What  is  the  Holy  Eucharist  ? 

A.  The  Holy  Eucharist  is  the  saorament  which  con- 
tains the  body  and  blood,  soul  and  divinity  of  Our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ  under  the  appearances  of  bread  and  wine. 

When  we  say  "  contains,"  we  mean  the  sacrament  which  is 
the  body  and  blood,  etc.  The  Holy  Eucharist  is  the  same 
living  body  of  Our  Lord  which  He  had  upon  earth ;  but  it  is 
in  a  new  form,  under  the  appearances  of  bread  and  wine. 
Therefore  Our  Lord  in  the  tabernacle  can  see  and  hear  us. 

*  239  Q.  When  did  Christ  institute  the  Holy  Eucha- 
rist? 

A.  Christ  instituted  the  Holy  Eucharist  at  the  Last 
Supper,  the  night  before  He  died. 

"  Last  Supper,'^  on  Holy  Tliursday  night.  (See  Explana- 
tion of  the  Passion,  Lesson  Eighth,  Question  78.) 

*  240  Q.  Who  were  present  when  Our  Lord  instituted 
the  Holy  Eucharist? 

A.  When  Our  Lord  instituted  the  Holy  Eucharist 
the  twelve  apostles  were  present. 

*  241  Q.  How  did  Our  Lord  institute  the  Holy  Eucha- 
rist? 

A.  Our  Lord  instituted  the  Holy  Eucharist  by  tak- 
ing bread,  blessing,  breaking,  and  giving  to  His  apostles, 
saying :  "  Take  ye  and  eat.  This  is  My  body ; "  and 
then  by  taking  the  cup  of  wine,  blessing  and  giving  it, 
saying  to  them:  "Drink  ye  all  of  this.  This  is  My  blood 
which  shall  be  shed  for  the  remission  of  sins.  Do  this 
for  a  commemoration  of  Me." 


222  On  the  Holy  Eucharist. 

"Eucharist"  means  thanks.  Hence  this  sacranient  is 
called  Eucharist,  because  Our  Lord  gave  thanks  before 
changing  the  bread  and  wine  into  His  body  and  blood,  and 
because  the  offering  of  it  to  God  is  the  most  solemn  act  of 
thanksgiving.  **  Do  this" — that  is,  the  same  thing  I  am  doing, 
namely,  changing  bread  and  wine  into  My  body  and  blood. 
"  Commemoration'' — that  is,  to  remind  you  of  Me,  that  you  may 
continue  to  do  the  same  till  the  end  of  time. 

*  242  Q.  What  happened  when  Our  Lord  said,  "  This 
is  My  body,  this  is  My  blood"? 

A.  When  Our  Lord  said,  "This  is  My  body,"  the 
substance  of  the  bread  was  changed  into  the  substance 
of  His  body.  When  He  said,  "  This  is  My  blood,"  the 
substance  of  the  wine  was  changed  into  the  substance 
of  His  blood. 

"  Substance "  literally  means  that  which  stands  under- 
neath. Underneath  v/hat  ?  Underneath  the  outward  ap- 
pearances or  qualities — such  as  color,  taste,  figure,  smell,  etc. 
— that  are  perceptible  to  our  senses.  Therefore  we  never  see 
the  substance  of  anything.  Of  this  seat,  for  instance,  I  see 
the  color,  size,  and  shape;  I  feel  the  hardness,  etc.;  but  I  do 
not  see  the  substance,  namely,  the  wood  of  which  it  is  made. 
When  the  substance  of  anything  is  changed,  the  outward 
appearances  change  with  it.  But  not  so  in  the  Holy  Eucha- 
rist; for  by  a  miracle  the  appearances  of  bread  and  wine 
remain  the  same  after  the  substance  has  been  changed  as  they 
were  before.  As  the  substance  alone  is  changed  in  the  Holy 
Eucharist,  and  as  I  cannot  see  the  substance,  I  cannot  see  the 
change.  I  am  absolutely  certain,  however,  that  the  change 
takes  place,  because  Our  Lord  said  so;  and  I  believe  Him,  be- 
cause He  could  not  deceive  me.  He  is  God,  and  God  could 
not  tell  a  lie,  because  He  is  infinite  truth.  This  change  is  a 
great  miracle,  and  that  is  the  reason  we  cannot  understand  it, 
though  we  believe  it.  Once  at  a  marriage  in  Cana  of  Galilee 
(John  ii.)  Our  Lord  changed  water  into  wine.  The  people 
were  poor,  and  Our  Lord,  His  btessed  Mother,  and  the  apostles 


On  the  Holy  Eucharist.  223 

were  present  at  the  wedding  when  the  wine  ran  slioit;  and 
our  blessed  Lady,  always  so  kind  to  every  one,  wishing  tc 
spare  these  poor  people  from  being  shamed  before  their 
friends,  asked  Our  Lord  to  perform  the  miracle,  and  at  her 
request  He  did  so,  and  changed  many  vessels  of  water  into 
the  best  of  wine.  In  that  miiacle  Our  Lord  changed  the^ 
substance  of  the  water  into  the  substance  of  the  wine.  Why, 
then,  could  He  not  change  in  the  same  way  and  by  the  same 
power  tlie  substance  of  bread  and  wine  iiito  the  substance  of 
His  own  body  and  blood  ?  When  He  changed  tlie  water  into 
wine,  besides  changing  the  substance.  He  changed  everything 
else  about  it;  so  that  it  had  no  longer  the  appearance  of 
water,  but  every  one  could  see  that  it  was  wine.  But  in 
clianging  the  bread  and  wine  into  His  body  and  blood  He 
changes  only  the  substance,  and  leaves  everything  else  un- 
changed, so  that  it  still  looks  and  tastes  like  bread  and  wine; 
even  after  the  change  has  taken  place  and  you  could  not  tell 
by  looking  at  it  that  it  was  changed.  You  know  it  only  from 
your  faith  in  the  words  of  our  divine  Lord,  when  He  tells  you 
it  is  changed. 

Again,  it  is  much  easier  to  change  one  thing  into  another 
than  to  make  it  entirely  out  of  nothing.  Any  one  who  can 
create  out  of  nothing  can  surely  change  one  thing  into  an- 
other. Now  Our  Lord,  being  God,  created  the  world  out  of 
nothing;  and  He  could  therefore  easily  change  the  substance 
of  bread  into  the  substance  of  flesh.  I  have  said  Our  Lord's 
body  in  the  Holy  Eucharist  is  a  living  body,  and  every  living 
body  contains  blood;  and  that  is  why  we  receive  both  the 
body  and  the  blood  of  Our  Lord  under  the  appearance  of  the 
bread  alone.  The  priest  receives  the  body  and  blood  of  Our 
Lord  under  the  appearance  of  both  bread  and  wine,  -while  tlie 
people  receive  it  only  under  .the  appearance  of  bread.  The 
early  Christians  used  to  receive  it  as  the  priest  does — under 
tlie  appearance  of  bread  and  under  the  appearance  of  wine; 
but  the  Church  had  to  make  a  change  on  account  of  circum- 
stances. First,  all  the  people  had  to  drink  from  the  same 
chalice  or  cup,  and  sonic  would  T»nt.  JIVa  that.,  »nri  show  f'isrA' 


224  On  the  Holy  Eucharist, 

spect  for  the  Blessed  Sacrament  by  refusing  it.  Then  there 
was  great  danger  of  spilling  the  precious  blood,  passing  it 
from  one  to  another;  and,  finally,  some  said  that  Christ's  blood 
was  not  in  His  body  under  the  appearance  of  bread.  This 
was  false;  and  to  show  that  it  was  false,  and  for  the  other 
reasons,  the  Church  after  that  gave  Holy  Communion  to  the 
people  under  the  appearance  of  bread  alone.  The  Church 
always  believes  and  teaches  the  same  truths.  It  always  be- 
lieved  that  the  Holy  Eucharist  under  the  ^.ppearance  of  bread 
contained  also  Our  Lord's  blood;  but  it  taught  it  more 
clearly  when  it  was  denied. 

*  243  Q.  Is  Jesus  Christ  whole  and  entire  both  under 
the  form  of  bread  and  under  the  form  of  wine  ? 

A.  Jesus  Christ  is  whole  and  entire  both  under  the 
form  of  bread  and  under  the  form  of  wine. 

*  244  Q.  Did  anything  remain  of  the  bread  and  wine 
after  their  substance  had  been  changed  into  the  sub- 
stance of  the  body  and  blood  of  Our  Lord  ? 

A.  After  the  substance  of  the  bread  and  wine  had 
been  changed  into  the  substance  of  the  body  and  blood 
of  Our  Lord  there  remained  only  the  appearances  oi 
bread  and  wine. 

245  Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  the  appearances  of 
bread  and  wine  ? 

A.  By  the  appearances  of  bread  and  wine  I  mean  the 
figure,  the  color,  the  taste,  and  whatever  appears  to  the 
senses. 

"Senses" — that  is,  eyes,  ears,  etc.  Thus  we  have  the 
sense  of  seeing,  the  sense  of  hearing,  the  sense  of  tasting, 
the  sense  of  smelling,  the  sense  of  feeling. 

The  Holy  Eucharist  is  tlie  body  of  Our  Lord  just  as  long 
as  the  appearances  of  bread  and  wine  remain,  and  when  tliey 
go  away  Our  Lord's  body  goes  also.  For  example,  if  a  church, 
tabernacle  and  all,  was  buried  by  a  great  earthquake,  and 


On  the  Holy  Eucharist.  225 

after  many  years  the  people  succeeded  in  getting  at  the 
tabernacle  and  opening  it,  and  then  found  in  the  ciborium 
— that  is,  the  vessel  in  which  the  Blessed  Sacrament  is  kept 
in  the  tabernacle — only  black  dust,  Our  Lord  would  not  be 
there,  although  He  was  there  when  the  church  was  buried. 
He  Avould  not  be  there,  because  there  was  no  longer  the  ap- 
pearance of  bread  there:  it  had  all  been  changed  iiito  asheg 
by  time,  and  Our  Lord  left  it  when  the  change  took  place. 
But  if  tiie  appearance  of  bread  had  remained  unchanged.  He 
would  be  there  even  after  so  many  years. 

When  we  receive  holy  Communion,  the  appearance  of 
bread  remains  for  about  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes  after  we 
receive,  and  then  it  changes  or  disappears.  Therefore  during 
these  fifteen  or  twenty  minutes  that  the  appearance  remains 
Our  Lord  Himself  is  really  with  us;  and  for  that  reason  we 
should  remain  about  twenty  minutes  after  Mass  on  the  day 
we  receive,  making  a  thanksgiving,  speaking  to  Our  Lord, 
and  listening  to  Him  speaking  to  our  conscience.  What  dis- 
resi)ect  some  people  show  Our  Lord  by  rushing  out  of  the 
church  immediately  after  Mass  on  their  Communion  day, 
sometimes  beginning  to  talk  or  look  around  before  making 
any  thanksgiving.'  When  you  receive  holy  Communion, 
after  returning  to  your  seat  you  need  not  immediately  begin 
to  read  your  prayer-book,  but  may  bow  your  head  and  speak 
to  Our  Lord  while  He  is  present  with  you.  After  the  appear- 
ances of  bread  vanish.  Our  Lord's  bodily  presence  goes  also, 
but  He  remains  with  us  by  His  giace  as  long  as  we  do  not 
fall  into  mortal  sin.  

*  246  0..  What  is  this  change  of  the  bread  and  wimi 
into  ttie  body  and  blood  of  Oiir  Lord  called  ? 

A.  This  change  of  the  bread  and  wine  into  the  body 
and  blood  of  Our  Lord  is  called  Transubstantiation. 

"  Transubstantiation  "that  is,  the  changing  of  one  sub- 
stance into  another  substance;  for  example,  the  changing  oi 
the  wood  in  a  seat  into  stone. 


226  On  the  Holy  Eucharist. 

*  247  Q.  How  was  the  substance  of  the  bread  and 
wine  changed  into  the  substance  of  the  body  and  blood 
of  Christ? 

A.  The  substance  of  the  bread  and  wine  was  changed 
into  the  substance  of  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  by 
His  almighty  power. 

*  248  Q.  Does  this  change  of  bread  and  wine  into  the 
body  and  blood  of  Christ  continue  to  be  made  in  the 
Church  ? 

A.  This  change  of  bread  and  wine  into  the  body  and 
blood  of  Christ  continues  to  be  made  in  the  Church  by 
Jesus  Christ  through  the  ministry  of  His  priests. 

249  Q.  When  did  Christ  give  His  priests  the  power 
to  change  bread  and  wine  into  His  body  and  blood? 

A.  Christ  gave  His  priests  the  power  to  change  bread 
and  wine  into  His  body  and  blood  when  He  said  to  His 
apostles,   "  Do  this  in  commemoration  of  Me." 

250  Q.  How  do  the  priests  exercise  this  power  of 
changing  bread  and  wine  into  the  body  and  blood,  of 
Christ? 

A.  The  priests  exercise  this  power  of  changing  bread 
and  wine  into  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  through  the 
words  of  consecration  in  the  Mass,  which  are  the  words 
of  Christ:  "This  is  My  body;  this  is  My  blood." 

**  Consecration."  At  what  part  of  the  Mass  are  the  words 
of  consecnitioii  pronounced?  Just  before  the  Elevation; 
that  is.  just  before  the  priest  holds  up  the  host  and  the  chalice; 
while  the  altar-boy  rings  the  bell. 

When  the  pi-iest  is  going  to  say  Mass  he  prepares  every- 
thing  necessnrj'  in  the  sacristy — the  place  or  room  near  the 
altar  where  the  sacred  vessels  and  vestments  are  kept,  and 
where  the  priest  vests.  He  takes  the  chalice — that  is,  the  long 
silver  or  gold  goblet — out  of  its  case;  then  lie  covers  it  with 
a  long,  narrow,  white  linen  cloth  called  a  purificator.  Over 
this  he  places  a  small  silver  or  gold  plate  called  the  paten, 


On  the  ISdy  Eucharist.  227 

on  which  ae  places  a  host — that  is,  a  thin  piece  of  white  bread 
prepared  for  Mass,  perfectly  round,  and  about  the  size  of  the 
bottom  of  a  small  drinking-glass.  He  then  covers  this  host 
with  a  white  card,  called  a  pall,  after  which  he  covers  the 
chalice  and  all  with  a  square  cloth  or  veil  that  matches  the 
vestments.  Then  he  puts  on  his  own  vestments  as  follows: 
Over  his  shoulders  the  amice,  a  square,  white  cloth.  Next 
the  alb,  a  long  white  garment  reaching  down  to  his  feet.  He 
draws  it  about  his  waist  with  the  cincture,  or  white  cord.  He 
places  on  his  left  arm  the  maniple,  a  short,  narrow  vestment. 
Around  his  neck  he  places  the  stole,  a  long,  narrow  vestment 
with  a  cross  on  each  end.  Over  all  he  places  the  chasuble,  or 
large  vestment  with  the  cross  on  the  back.  Lastly,  he  puts 
on  his  cap  or  berretta.  Before  going  further  I  must  say  some- 
thing about  the  color  and  signification  of  the  vestments. 
There  are  five  colors  used,  namely,  white,  red,  green,  violet, 
and  black.  White  signifies  innocence,  and  is  used  on  the 
feasts  of  Our  Lord,  of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  and  of  some  saints. 
Eed  signifies  love,  and  is  used  on  the  feasts  of  the  Holy  Ghost 
and  of  the  martyrs.  Green  signifies  hope,  and  is  used  on 
Sundays  from  the  Epiphany  to  Pentecost,  unless  some  feast 
requiring  another  color  falls  on  Sunday.  Violet  signifies  pen- 
ance, and  is  used  in  Advent  and  Lent.  Black  signifies  sorrow, 
and  is  used  on  Good  Friday  and  in  Masses  for  the  dead.  As 
regards  the  vestments  -themselves:  the  amice  signifies  prepa- 
ration to  resist  the  attacks  of  the  devil;  the  alh  is  the  symbol 
of  innocence;  the  cincture  of  charity;  the  maniple  of  pen- 
ance; the  stole  of  immortality;  and  the  chasuble  of  love,  by 
which  we  are  enabled  to  bear  the  light  burden  Our  Lord  is 
pleased  to  lay  upon  us. 

Vested  as  described,  when  the  candles  have  been  lighted 
on  the  altar,  the  priest  takes  the  coveret'i^*'^"ATiae  in  his  hand 
and  goes  to  the  altar,  where,  after  ariai^i^'^ig  everything,  he 
begins  Mass.  After  saying  many  prayeis,  he  uncovers  the 
chalice,  and  the  acolyte  or  altar- boy  brings  Up  wine  and  water, 
and  the  priest  "outs  some  into  the  chalice.     Then  he  says  a 


228  On  the  Holy  Eucharist. 

prayer,  and  offers  to  God  the  bread  and  wine  to  be  consecrated. 
This  is  called  the  offertory  of  the  Mass,  and  takes  place  after 
the  boy  presents  the  wine  and  water.  Immediately  after  the 
Sanctus  the  priest  begins  what  is  called  the  Canon  of  the 
Mass,  and  soon  after  comes  to  the  time  of  consecration,  and 
has  before  him  on  the  paten  the  white  bread,  or  host,  and  in 
the  chalice  wine.  Remember,  it  is  only  bread  and  wine  as 
yet.  After  saying  some  prayers  the  priest  bends  down  over 
the  altar  and  pronounces  the  words  of  consecration,  namely, 
"  This  is  My  body,"  over  the  bread ;  and  "  This  is  My  blood," 
over  the  Avine.  Then  there  is  no  longer  the  bread  the  priest 
brought  out  and  the  wine  the  boy  gave,  upon  the  altar,  but 
instead  of  both  the  body  and  blood  of  Our  Lord.  After  the 
words  of  consecration,  the  priest  genuflects  or  kneels  before 
the  altar  to  adore  Our  Lord,  Who  just  came  there  at  the  words 
of  consecration;  he  next  holds  up  the  body  of  Our  Lord — the 
host — for  the  people  also  to  see  and  adore  it;  he  then  replaces 
it  on  the  altar  and  again  genuflects.  He  does  just  the  same 
with  the  chalice.  This  is  called  the  Elevation.  The  altar-boy 
then  rings  the  bell  to  call  the  people's  attention  to  it,  for  it 
is  the  most  solemn  part  of  the  Mass.  After  more  prayers  the 
priest  takes  and  consumes,  that  is,  swallows,  the  sacred  host 
and  drinks  the  precious  blood  from  the  chalice.  Then  the 
people  come  up  to  the  altar  to  receive  holy  Communion. 
But  where  does  the  priest  get  holy  Communion  for  them  if 
he  himself  took  all  he  consecrated  ?  He  opens  the  tabernacle, 
and  there,  in  a  large,  beautiful  vessel  he  has  small  hosts.  He 
consecrates  a  large  number  of  these  small  hosts  sometimes 
while  he  is  consecrating  the  larger  one  for  himself.  When 
they  are  consecrated,  he  places  them  in  the  tabernacle,  where 
they  are  kept  with  +l^'o  sanctuary  lamp  burning  before  them, 
till  at  the  diiaCi^  ^^c  ^Masses  they  have  all  been  given  out  to 
the  people.  The'estiO  consecrates  others  at  the  next  Mass,  and 
does  as  before.  The  size  of  the  host  does  not  make  the  slight- 
est difference,  as  Our  Lord  is  present  whole  and  entire  in  the 
smallest  particle  of  the  host^^     A  little  piece  that  you  could 


On  the  Holy  Eucharist.  229 

scarcely  see  would  be  the  body  of  Our  Lord.  However,  the 
particle  that  is  given  to  the  people  is  about  the  size  of  a 
twenty-five-cent  piece,  so  that  they  can  swallow  it  before  it 
melts.  In  receiving  holy  Communion  you  must  never  let  it 
entirely  dissolve  in  your  mouth,  for  if  you  do  not  swallow  it 
you  will  not  receive  holy  Communion  at  all. 

Here  I  might  tell  you  what  benediction  of  the  Blessed 
Sacrament  is.  The  priest  sometimes  consecrates  at  the  Mass 
two  large  hosts;  one  he  consumes  himself,  as  I  have  told  you, 
and  the  other  he  places  in  the  tabernacle  in  a  little  gold  case. 
When  it  is  time  for  benediction,  he  places  this  little  case — 
made  of  glass  and  gold,  about  the  size  of  a  watch — in  the 
gold  or  silver  monstrance  which  you  see  on  the  altar  at  bene- 
diction. It  is  made  to  represent  rays  of  light  coming  from 
the  Blessed  Sacrament.  After  the  choir  sings,  the  priest  says 
the  prayer  and  goes  up  and  blesses  the  people  with  the 
Blessed  Sacrament;  that  is,  when  he  holds  up  the  monstrance 
over  the  people  Our  Lord  Himself  blesses  them.  Should  we 
not  be  very  anxious,  therefore,  to  go  to  benediction  ?  If  the 
bishop  came  to  the  church,  we  would  all  be  anxious  to  receive 
his  blessing;  and  if  our  Holy  Father  the  Pope  came,  everybody 
would  rush  to  the  church.  But  what  are  they  compared  to 
Our  Lord  Himself  ?  And  yet  when  He  comes  to  give  His  bless- 
ing, many  seem  to  care  little  about  it.  Because  Our  Lord  in 
His  goodness  is  pleased  to  give  us  His  blessing  often,  we  are 
indifferent  about  it.  The  holy  teachers  and  fathers  of  the 
Church  tell  us  that  if  we  could  see  the  sanctuary  at  Mass  and 
Benediction  as  it  really  is,  we  would  see  it  filled  with  angels 
all  bowed  down,  adoring  Our  Lord.  These  good  angels  must 
be  very  much  displeased  at  those  who  are  so  indifferent  at 
Mass  or  Benediction  as  not  to  pay  any  attention;  and  above 
all,  at  those  who  stay  away.  Tlie  large  silk  cloak  the  priest 
wears  at  Benediction  is  called  the  cope,  and  the  long  scarf  that 
is  placed  over  his  shoulders  the  humeral,  or  benediction  veil. 
At  the  words  of  consecration,  you  must  know,  the  priest  does 
not  say  "  This  is  Christ's  body,"  but  "  This  is  My  body;"  for 


230  On  the  Holy  Eiwharist 

at  the  altar  the  priest  is  there  in  the  place  of  Our  Lord  Himself. 
It  is  Our  Lord  Who  offers  up  the  sacrifice,  and  the  priest  is 
His  instrument.  That  is  why  the  priest  wears  vestments 
while  saying  Mass  or  performing  his  sacred  duties,  to  remind 
him  that  he  is,  as  it  were,  another  person;  that  he  is  not  act- 
ing in  his  own  name  or  right,  but  in  the  name  and  place  of 
our  blessed  Lord. 

I  have  given  you  in  a  general  way  a  description  of  the 
Mass:  let  me  now  mention  its  particular  parts  by  their  proper 
names,  and  tell  you  what  they  are.  At  the  foot  of  the  altar 
the  priest  says  the  Confiteor,  a  psalm,  and  other  prayers  as  a 
preparation.  Then  he  ascends  the  altar-steps — praying  as  he 
goes — and  says  the  Introit,  which  is  some  portion  of  the  Holy 
Scripture  suitable  to  the  feast  of  the  day.  He  next  says  the 
Kyrie  Eleison,  which  means :  Lord,  have  mercy  on  us.  He 
then  says  the  Gloria,  or  hymn  of  praise,  though  not  in  all 
Masses.  After  the  Gloria  he  says  the  Collect,  which  is  a  col- 
lection of  prayers  in  which  the  priest  prays  for  the  needs  of 
the  Church,  and  of  its  children.  This  is  followed  by  the 
Epistle,  which  is  a  part  of  the  Holy  Scripture.  Then  the 
Mass-book  is  removed  to  the  other  side  of  the  altar,  and  the 
priest  reads  the  Gospel — that  is,  some  portion  of  the  gospel 
written  by  the  evangelists.  After  the  Gospel  the  priest,  except 
in  some  Masses,  says  the  Creed,  which  is  a  profesison  of  his  faith 
in  the  mysteries  of  our  religion.  After  this  the  priest  uncov- 
ers the  chalice,  and  offers  up  the  bread  and  wine  which  is  to 
be  consecrated.  This  is  called  the  Offertory  of  the  Mass.  The 
offertory  is  followed  by  the  Lavaho,  or  washing  of  the  priest's 
hands:  first,  that  the  priest's  hands  may  be  purified  to  touch 
the  Sacred  Host;  and,  second,  to  signify  the  purity  of  soul 
he  must  have  to  offer  the  Holy  Sacrifice.  After  saying  some 
prayers  in  secret  he  says  the  Preface,  which  is  a  solemn  hymn 
of  praise  and  thanksgiving.  The  Preface  ends  with  the 
Sanctus.  The  Sanctus  is  followed  by  the  Canon  of  the  Mass. 
Canon  means  a  rule;  so  this  part  of  the  Mass  is  called  the 
Canon,   because  it   never    changes.      The  Epistle,    Gospel, 


On  the  Holy  Uucharist.  231 

prayers,  etc.,  are  different  on  the  different  feasts,  but  the 
Canon  of  the  Mass  is  always  the  same.  The  Canon  is  the 
part  of  the  Mass  from  the  Sanctus  down  to  the  time  the  priest 
again  covers  the  chalice.  After  the  Canon  the  priest  says  the 
Post-communion,  or  prayer  after  Communion;  then  he  gives 
the  blessing  and  goes  to  the  other  side  of  the  altar,  and  ends 
Mass  by  saying  the  last  Gospel. 

During  the  Mass  the  priest  frequently  makes  the  sign  of 
the  cross,  genuflects  or  bends  the  knee  before  the  altar,  strikes 
his  breast,  etc.  What  do  all  these  ceremonies  mean  ?  By  the 
cross  the  priest  is  reminded  of  the  death  of  Our  Lord;  he 
genuflects  as  an  act  of  humility,  and  he  strikes  his  breast  to 
ahow  his  own  unworthiness.  You  will  understand  all  the 
ceremonies  of  the  altar  if  you  remember  that  Our  Lord — the 
King  of  kings — is  present  on  it,  and  the  priest  acts  in  His 
presence  as  the  servants  in  a  king's  palace  would  act  when 
approaching  their  king  or  in  his  presence,  showing  their  re- 
spect by  bowing,  kneeling,  etc.  You  will  see  this  more  clearly 
if  you  watch  the  movements  of  the  priest  at  the  altar  while 
the  Blessed  Sacrament  is  exposed. 


232  The  End  for  which  the  Holy  Eucharist  was  Instituted. 


LESSON  TWENTY-THIRD. 

ON   THE  END  FOR    WHICH    THE    HOLY  EUCHARIST  WAS 
INSTITUTED. 

251  Q.  Why  did  Clirist  institute  the  Holy  Eucharist? 
A.  Christ  instituted  the  Holy  Eucharist: 

(1)  To  unite  us  to  Himself  and  to  nourish  our  souls 
with  His  divine  life. 

(2)  To  increase  sanctifying  grace  and  all  the  virtues  in 
our  souls. 

(3)  To  lessen  our  evil  inclinations. 

(4)  To  be  a  pledge  of  everlasting  life. 

(5)  To  fit  our  bodies  for  a  glorious  resurrection. 

(6)  To  continue  the  sacrifice  of  the  cross  in  His 
Church. 

"To  nourish."  The  Holy  Eucharist  does  to  our  souls 
what  natural  food  does  to  our  bodies.  It  strengthens  them 
and  makes  up  for  the  losses  we  have  sustained  by  sin,  etc. 
"A  pledge,"  because  it  does  not  seem  probable  that  a  person 
who  all  during  life  had  been  i3d  and  nourished  with  the 
sacred  body  of  Our  Lord  should  after  death  be  buried  in  hell. 
"  To  fit  our  bodies,"  because  Our  i^ord  has  promised  that  if 
we  eat  His  flesh  and  drink  His  blood,  that  is,  receive  the  Holy 
Eucharist,  He  will  raise  us  up  on  the  last  day,  or  day  of  judg- 
ment (St.  John  vi.  55). 

*  252  Q.  How  are  we  united  to  Jesus  Christ  in  the 
Holy  Eucharist? 

A.  We  are  united  to  Jesus  Christ  in  the  Holy  Eucha- 
rist by  means  of  holy  Communion. 

253  Q.  What  is  holy  Communion? 
A.  Holy  Communion  is  the  receiving  of  the  body  and 
blood  of  Christ. 

Holy  Communion  is  therefore  the  receiving  of  the  Sacra- 
ment of  Holy  Eucharist. 


The  Eridfor  which  the  Holy  Eucharist  toas  Instituted.  233 

254  Q.  What  is  necessary  to  make  a  good  Com- 
mixnion  ? 

A.  To  make  a  good  Communion  it  is  necessary  to  be 
in  a  state  of  sanctifying  grace  and  to  be  fasting  from 
midnight. 

"  Midnight " — that  is,  twelve  o'clock  at  night ;  but  you 
should  not  take  anything,  especially  solid  food,  for  a  little 
while  before  twelve,  so  as  to  be  sure  of  the  time,  and  also  not 
to  have  little  particles  of  food  in  your  mouth  after  twelve. 
If  you  find  some  little  pieces  of  food  in  your  mouth  in  the 
morning,  when  you  are  going  to  holy  Communion,  spit  them 
out,  and  your  fast  will  not  be  broken.  One  drop  of  anything 
taken  even  in  necessity  or  by  mistake  after  twelve  will  prevent 
you  from  going  to  holy  Communion.  What,  then,  are  you  to 
do  if,  without  thinking,  you  break  your  fast  ?  Do  not  go  to 
Communion  that  morning,  but  fast  from  twelve  the  next 
night,  and  go  the  following  morning.  But  never,  never,  on 
any  account,  go  to  holy  Communion  when  you  have  broken 
your  fast.  Never  let  fear  or  shame  or  anything  else  make 
you  do  such  a  thing.  It  is  no  shame  to  break  your  fast  by 
mistake;  but  it  is  a  great  sin  to  knowingly  go  to  Communion 
after  breaking  your  fast. 

255  Q.  Does  he  who  receives  Communion  in  mortal 
sin  receive  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  ? 

A.  He  who  receives  Communion  in  mortal  sin  re- 
ceives the  body  and  blood  of  Christ,  but  does  not  re- 
ceive His  grace,  and  he  commits  a  great  sacrilege. 

"  The  body  and" blood,"  because  the  appearance  of  bread  and 
wine  is  there  after  consecration,  and  he  receives  it.  He  who 
receives  the  Holy  Eucharist  in  mortal  sin  receives  Our  Lord 
into  a  filthy  soul.  If  a  great  and  highly-esteemed  friend  was 
coming  to  visit  your  house,  would  you  not  take  care  to  have 
everything  clean  and  neat,  and  pleasing  to  him?  And  the 
greater  the  dignity  of  the  person  coming,  the  more  careful 
yoa  would  be.     But  what  are  all  the  persons  of  dignity  in  the 


234:  The  End  for  ivliich  the  Holy  EucJuxrist  loas  Instituted. 

world — kings  or  popes — compared  with  Our  Lord,  Who  leaves 
the  beauties  of  heaven  to  come  to  visit  our  soul?  and  the 
purest  we  can  make  it  is  not  pure  enough  for  Him.  But  He 
is  kind  to  us,  and  is  satisfied  with  our  poor  preparation  if  H^ 
sees  we  are  doing  our  very  best.  But  oh,  what  a  shame  to  re- 
ceive Him  into  our  soul  without  any  preparation  !  and  more 
horrible  still,  to  fill  it  with  vile  sins,  that  we  know  are  most 
disgusting  to  Him!  No  wonder,  therefore,  that  receiving 
holy  Communion  unworthily  is  so  great  a  orime,  and  so  de- 
serving of  God's  punishment.  Why  should  not  the  heavenly 
Father  punish  us  for  treating  His  beloved  Son  with  such 
shameful  disrespect  and  contempt  ? 

*  256  Q.  Is  it  enough  to  be  free  from  mortal  sin,  to 
receive  plentifully  the  graces  of  holy  Communion  ? 

A.  To  receive  plentifully  the  graces  of  holy  Com- 
munion it  is  not  enough  to  be  free  from  mortal  sin,  but 
we  should  be  free  from  all  afffection  to  venial  sin,  and 
should  make  acts  of  lively  faith,  of  firm  hope  and 
ardent  love. 

*  257  Q.  What  is  the  fast  necessary  for  holy  Com- 
munion ? 

A.  The  fast  necessary  for  holy  Communion  is  the 
abstaining  from  midnight  from  everything  which  is 
taken  as  food  or  drink. 

"  Food  or  drink."  If  you  swallowed  a  button,  for  example, 
it  would  not  break  your  fast,  because  it  is  not  food  or  drink. 

*  258  Q.  Is  any  one  ever  allowed  to  receive  holy 
Communion  when  not  fasting? 

A.  Any  one  in  danger  of  death  is  allowed  to  receive 
Communion  when  not  fasting. 

"Not  fasting."  But  then  the  holy  Communion  is  called 
by  another  name;  it  is  called  the  Viaticum,  and  the  priest 
uses  a  different  prayer  in  giving  it  to  the  sick  person.  When 
a  person  dies,  he  goes,  as  it  were,  on  a  journey  from  this  world 
to  the  next.     Now,  when  persons  are  going  on  a  journey  they 


The  End  for  which  the  Holy  Eucharist  was  Instituted.  235 

must  have  food  to  strengthen  them.  Our  Lord  wished,  there- 
fore, that  all  His  children  who  had  to  go  on  this  most  impor- 
tant of  all  journeys — from  this  world  to  the  next — should  be 
first  strengthened  by  this  sacred  food.  His  own  body  and 
blood.  The  Latin  word  for  road  or  way  is  via,  and  Viaticum 
therefore  means  food  for  the  way.  Not  only  are  persons  in 
danger  of  death  allowed  to  receive  when  not  fasting,  but  they 
are  obliged  to  receive  ;  and  the  priest  is  obliged  under  pain 
of  sin  to  bring  holy  Communion  to  the  dying  at  any  hour  of 
the  day  or  night. 

When  I  speak  of  a  great  journey  from  this  world  to  the 
next,  from  earth  to  heaven,  you  must  not  understand  me  to 
mean  that  it  is  a  great  many  miles  from  earth  to  heaven,  or 
that  it  takes  a  long  time  to  go  to  the  next  world.  No.  We 
cannot  measure  the  distance,  nor  does  it  take  time  to  get 
there.  The  instant  we  die,  no  matter  where  that  happens, 
our  soul  is  in  the  next  world,  and  judged  by  God. 

*  259  Q.  When  are  we  bound  to   receive   holy  Com- 
munion ? 

A.  We  are  bound,  to  receive  holy  Communion,  under 
pain  of  mortal  sin,  during  the  Easter  time  and  when  in 
danger  of  death. 

*  260  Q.  Is  it  well  to  receive  holy  Communion  often? 
A.  It  is  well  to  receive  holy  Communion  often,  as 

nothing  is  a  greater  aid  to  a  holy  life  than  often  to  re- 
ceive the  Author  of  all  graces  and  the  Source  of  all 
good. 

*  261  Q.  What  should  we  do  after  holy  Communion? 
A.  After   holy   Communion   we   should   spend  some 

time  in  adoring  Our  Lord,  in  thanking  Him  for  tho 
graces  we  have  received  and  in  asking  T(\m  for  tho 
blessings  we  need. 


236  On  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass. 


LESSON  TWENTY-FOURTH. 
ON  THE  SACRIFICE  OF  THE  MASS. 

262  Q,  When  and  where  are  the  bread  and  wine 
changed  into  the  body  and  blood  of  Christ  ? 

A.  The  bread  and  wine  are  changed  into  the  body 
and  blood  of  Christ  at  the  consecration  in  the  Mass. 

263  Q.  What  is  the  Mass? 

A.  The  Mass  is  the  unbloody  sacrifice  of  the  body 
and  blood  of  Christ. 

The  Holy  Sacrifice  is  called  Mass  probably  from  the  words 
the  priest  says  at  the  end  when  he  turns  to  the  people  and 
says,  "  Ite  Missa  est ;"  that  is,  when  he  tells  them  the  Holy 
Sacrifice  is  over. 

*  264  Q.  What  is  a  sacrifice  ? 
A.  A  sacrifice  is  the  offering  of  an  object  by  a  priest 
to  God  alone,  and  the  consuming  of  it  to  acknowledge 
that  He  is  the  Creator  and  Lord  of  all  things. 

"  Sacrifice."  From  the  very  earliest  history  of  man  we 
find  people — for  example,  Abel,  Noe,  etc. — offering  up  sacri- 
fice to  God;  that  is,  taking  something  and  offering  it  to  God, 
and  then  destroying  it  to  show  that  they  believed  God  to  be 
the  Master  of  life  and  death,  and  the  Supreme  Lord  of  all 
things.  These  offerings  were  sometimes  plants  or  fruits,  but 
most  frequently  animals. 

When  men  lost  the  knowledge  of  the  true  God  and  began 
to  worship  idols  of  wood  and  stone,  they  began  or  continued 
to  offer  sacrifice  to  these  false  gods.  Very  often,  too,  they 
sacrificed  human  beings  to  please,  as  they  imagined,  these 
gods.  They  believed  there  was  a  god  for  everything — a  god 
for  tJie  ocean,  a  god  for  thunder,  a  god  for  wind,  for  war.  etc.; 


On  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Masa.  231 

and  when  anything  happened  that  frightened  or  injured  the 
people,  they  believed  that  some  of  these  gods  were  offended, 
and  offered  up  sacrifice  to  pacify  them.  They  had  a  temple 
in  Rome  called  the  Pantheon,  or  temple  of  all  the  gods,  and 
here  they  kept  the  idols  of  all  the  gods  they  could  think  of  or 
know.  At  Athens,  they  were  afraid  of  neglecting  any  god 
to  whom  they  might  thus  give  offence,  and  so  they  had  an 
altar  for  the  unknown  god.  When  St.  Paul  came  to  preach, 
he  saw  this  altar  to  the  unknown  god,  and  told  them  that  was 
the  God  he  came  to  preach  about  (Acts  of  the  Apostles  xvii.). 
He  preached  to  them  the  existence  of  the  true  God,  and 
showed  them  that  there  is  only  one  God  and  not  many  gods. 

They  did  not  have  these  idols  of  wood  and  stone  in  their 
temples  for  the  Kime  reason  that  we  have  images  in  our 
churches,  because  they  believed  that  the  idols  were  really 
gods,  and  offered  sacrifice  to  them,  whereas  we  know  that  our 
images  are  the  works  of  men.  Near  the  city  of  Jerusalem 
there  was  a  great  idol  named  Molech,  to  which  parents  of- 
fered their  infants  in  sacrifice.  We  know,  too,  from  the  his- 
tory of  this  country  that  the  Indians  used  to  send  a  beautiful 
young  girl  in  a  v/hite  canoe  over  the  falls  of  Niagara  every 
year,  as  a  sacrifice  offered  to  the  god  of  the  falls.  Even  yet 
human  sacrifices  are  offered  up  on  savage  islands.  Sometimes 
certain  animals  were  selected  to  be  heathen  gods.  The  people 
who  worship  idols,  animals,  or  other  things  of  that  kind  as 
gods  are  called  pagans,  idolaters,  or  heathens. 

The  Israelites,  who  worshipped  the  true  God  and  offered 
Him  sacrifice,  because  He  made  known  to  them  by  revelation 
that  they  should  do  so,  had  four  kinds  of  sacrifice.  They 
Dffered  one  for  sin,  another  in  thanksgiving  for  benefits  re- 
ceived, another  as  an  act  of  worship,  and  another  to  beg  God's 
blessing.  It  is  just  for  these  four  endb  or  objects  we  offer  up 
the  one  Christian  sacrifice  of  the  holy  Mass.  In  the  begin- 
ning the  head  of  the  family  offered  sacrifice, — as  Noe  did 
when  he  came  out  of  the  ark, — but  after  God  gave  His  laws  to 
Moses  He  appointed  priests  to  offer  up  the  sacrifices.  Aaron, 
the  brother  of  Moses,  was  the  first  priest  appointed,  and  after 


238  On  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass. 

him  his  descendants  were  priests.  When  Our  Lord  came  and 
instituted  a  new  sacrifice  He  established  the  piiesthood  of  the 
New  Law,  and  appointed  His  own  priests,  namely,  the  apos- 
tles, with  St.  Peter  as  their  chief,  and  after  them  their  law- 
fully appointed  successors,  the  bishops  of  the  world,  with  the 
Pope  as  their  chief.  The  sacrifices  of  the  Old  Law  were  fig- 
ures of  the  sacrifice  of  the  New  Law,  and  were  to  cease  at  its 
institution;  and  when  the  ancient  sacrifices  ceased  the  ancient 
priesthood  was  at  an  end. 

266  Q.  Is  the  Mass  the  same  sacrifice  as  that  of  the 
cross? 

A.  The  Mars  is  the  same  sacrifice  as  that  of  the  cross. 

But  how  is  the  Mass  a  sacrifice  ?  It  is  a  sacrifice  because 
at  the  Mass  the  body  and  blood  of  Our  Lord  are  offered  to 
His  heavenly  Father  at  the  consecration,  and  afterwards 
consumed  by  the  priest.  In  offering  up  the  body  and  blood 
of  Our  Lord  the  bread  and  wine  are  consecrated  separately, 
and  kept  separate  on  the  altar  at  Mass  to  signify  their  separa- 
tion at  Our  Lord's  death  in  the  sacrifice  of  the  cross,  when 
His  sacred  blood  flowed  from  His  body.  The  Holy  Eucharist 
is  also  a  sacrament,  because  it  has  the  three  things  necessary 
to  constitute  a  sacrament ;  namely,  (1)  The  outward  sign — 
that  is,  the  appearance  of  bread  and  wine.  (2)  The  inward 
grace ;  for  it  is  Jesus  Christ  Himself,  the  Author  and  Dis- 
penser of  all  graces.     (3)  It  was  instituted  by  Our  Lord. 

The  Holy  Eucharist  is  therefore  both  a  sacrifice  and  a  sac- 
rament. It  is  a  sacrifice  when  offered  at  Mass,  and  a  sacra- 
ment when  we  receive  it  and  when  it  is  reserved  in  the  taber- 
nacle. 

*  266  Q.  How  is  the  Mass  the  same  sacrifice  as  that  of 
the  cross? 

A.  The  Mass  is  the  same  sacrifice  as  that  of  the 
cross  because  the  ofibring  and  the  priest  are  the  same- 
Christ  Our  Blessed  Lord:  and  the  ends  for  which  the 
sacrifice  of  the  Mass  is  ofibred  are  the  same  as  those  of 
^e  sacrifice  of  the  cross- 


On  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass.  239 

On  the  cross  the  offering  was  the  body  and  blood  of  Our 
Lord;  the  one  who  offered  it  was  Our  Lord;  tlie  reason  for 
which  He  offered  it  was  that  He  might  atone  for  sin;  the  one 
to  whom  He  offered  it  was  His  heavenly  Father.  Now,  at 
Mass  it  is  the  same.  The  object  offered  is  Our  Lord's  body 
and  blood,  the  one  offering  is  Our  Lord  Himself,  through  the 
priest;  it  is  offered  for  sin,  and  it  is  offered  to  the  heavenly 
Father.  All  things  are  the  same,  except  that  the  blood  of 
Our  Lord  is  not  shed,  and  Our  Lord  does  not  die  again. 

*  267  Q.  What  are  the  ends  for  which  the  sarcrifice  of 
the  cross  was  offered? 

A.  The  ends  for  which  the  sacrifice  of  the  cross  was 
offered  were:  first,  to  honor  and  glorify  God;  second,  to 
thank  Him  for  all  the  graces  bestowed  on  the  whole 
world;  third,  to  satisfy  God's  justice  for  the  sins  of 
men ;  fourth,  to  obtain  all  graces  and  blessings. 

*  268  Q.  Is  there  any  difference  between  the  sacrifice 
of  the  cross  and  the  sacrifice  of  the  Mass  ? 

A.  Yes ;  the  manner  in  which  the  sacrifice  is  offered 
is  different.  On  the  cross  Christ  really  shed  His  blood 
and  was  really  slain ;  in  the  Mass  there  is  no  real  shed- 
ding of  blood  nor  real  death,  because  Christ  can  die 
no  more ;  but  the  sacrifice  of  the  Mass,  through  the  sepa- 
rate consecration  of  the  bread  and  the  wine,  represents 
His  death  on  the  cross. 

269  Q.  How  should  we  assist  at  Mass? 

A.  We  should  assist  at  Mass  with  great  interior 
recollection  and  piety  and  with  every  outward  mark 
of  respect  and  devotion. 

If  you  were  admitted  into  the  presence  of  a  king  or  of 
the  Holy  Father  you  would  be  careful  not  to  show  any  indif- 
ference or  disrespect  in  his  presence.  You  would  not  be 
guilty  of  looking  around  or  of  talking  idly  to  those  near 
you.  Your  eyes  would  be  constantly  fixed  on  the  great 
person  present.  So  should  you  be  at  Mass,  for  there  you 
Hre  admitted  into  the  presence  of  the  King  of  kings,  our 


9A0  On  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass. 

divine  Lord.  Your  whole  attention,  therefore,  should  be 
reverently  given  to  Him,  and  to  no  other.  How  displeas- 
ing it  must  be  to  Him  to  have  some  in  His  presence  who 
care  so  little  for  Him  and  who  insult  Him  without  thought 
or  regard !  If  we  acted  in  the  presence  of  any  prince  as  we 
sometimes  act  in  the  presence  of  Our  Lord  on  the  altar, 
we  should  be  turned  out  of  his  house,  with  orders  not  to 
come  again.  But  Our  Lord  suffers  all  pationtly  and  meekly, 
though  He  will  not  allow  any  of  this  disrespect  to  go  unpun- 
ished in  this  world  or  in  the  next.  Knowing  this,  some  holy 
persons  offer  up  their  prayers  and  holy  Communions  in  repa- 
ration for  these  insults,  and  try  to  atone  for  all  the  insults 
offered  to  Our  Lord  in  the  Blessed  Sacrament.  They  have 
united  in  a  holy  society  for  this  purpose,  called  the  Apostle' 
ship  of  Prayer,  or  League  of  the  Sacred  Heart,  now  estab- 
lished in  many  parishes.  If  you  do  not  belong  to  such  a 
society,  you  should  make  such  an  offering  yourself  privately. 
In  the  Old  Law  the  people  brought  to  the  temple  whatever 
they  wished  the  priests  to  offer  up  for  them— sometimes  a 
lamb,  sometimes  a  dove,  sometimes  fruit,  etc.  The  offering 
or  sacrifice  was  theirs,  and  they  offered  it  up. by  the  hands  of 
the  priests.  In  the  early  ages  of  the  Church  the  Christians 
brought  to  the  priests  the  bread  and  wine  to  be  consecrated 
and  offered  up  at  Mass.  Now  as  the  bread  and  wine  used  at 
the  Mass  must  be  of  a  particular  kind,  namely,  wheaten  bread 
and  wine  of  the  grape,  there  was  some  danger  of  the  people 
not  bringing  the  proper  kind:  so  instead  of  the  people  bring- 
ing these  things  themselves,  the  priests  began  to  buy  them, 
and  the  people  gave  him  money  for  his  own  support;  and  thus 
you  have  the  origin  of  offering  money  to  the  priest  for  cele- 
brating Mass  for  your  intention.  The  money  is  not  to  pay 
for  the  Mass,  because  you  could  not  buy  any  sacred  thing 
without  committing  sin.  The  priest  may  use  the  money  also 
for  the  candles  burned,  the  vestments  and  sacred  vessels,  etc., 
used  at  the  Mass.  To  buy  a  holy  thing  for  money  is  the  sin 
of  simony, — so  called  after  Simon,  a  magician,  who  tried  to 
bribe  the  apostles  to  give  him  Confirmation  when  he  was  uu 


On  the  Sacrijlce  of  the  Mass.  241 

worthy  of  it.  To  buy  religions  articles  before  they  are  blessed 
is  not  simony,  nor  even  after  they  are  blessed,  if  you  pay  only 
for  the  material  of  which  they  are  made;  but  if  you  tried  to 
buy  the  blessing,  it  would  be  simony.  When  the  holy  Mass 
is  offered,  the  fruits  or  benefits  of  it  are  divided  into  four 
classes.  The  first  benefit  comes  to  the  priest  who  celebrates 
the  Mass;  the  second,  to  the  one  for  whom  he  offers  the  Mass; 
the  third  benefit  to  those  who  are  present  at  it;  and  the  fourth 
to  all  the  faithful  throughout  the  world. 

*  270  Q.  Which  is  the  best  manner  of  hearing  Mass? 
A.  The  best  manner  of  hearing  Mass  is  to  offer  it  to 
God  with  the  priest  for  the  same  purpose  for  which  it 
is  said,  to   meditate   on   Christ's    sufferings   and   death, 
and  to  go  to  holy  Communion. 

That  is,  to  offer  it  up  for  whatever  intention  the  priest  is 
offering  it — for  the  dead,  for  the  conversion  of  sinners,  for  the 
good  of  others,  etc. ;  but  especially  for  the  four  ends  of  which 
I  have  already  spoken — to  worship  God,  thank  Him,  etc. 
"  Christ's  death,"  of  which  it  reminds  us.  "  Holy  Communion," 
if  we  are  in  a  state  of  grace,  and  have  prepared  to  receive  Com- 
munion. 

You  should  go  to  holy  Communion  as  often  as  your  con- 
fessor will  allow  you,  and  you  should  try  every  day  to  make 
yourself  more  worthy  of  that  great  sacrament.  Think  of  it  ! 
To  receive  your  God  and  Saviour  into  your  soul,  and  to  be 
united  with  Him,  as  the  word  communion  means!  The  early 
Christians  used  to  go  to  Communion  very  frequently.  The 
Church  requires  us  to  go  to  holy  Communion  at  least  once  a 
year,  but  we  should  not  be  satisfied  with  doing  merely  what  is 
necessary  to  avoid  mortal  sin.  Do  we  try  to  keep  away  fi-om 
persons  we  love  ?  Then  if  we  really  love  Our  Lord  should  we 
not  desire  to  receive  Him  ?  All  good  Catholics  should  go  to 
holy  Communion  at  least  once  a  month,  if  possible.  Persons 
wishing  to  lead  truly  holy  lives  should  go  to  Communion 
every  week,  if  their  confessor  thinks  them  worthy  and  will 
allow  them  to  go. 


242  On  the  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass. 

When  we  cannot  go  really  to  Communion  we  can  merit 
God's  grace  by  making  a  spiritual  Communion.  What  is  a 
spiritual  Communion  ?  It  is  an  earnest  desire  to  receive 
Communion.  You  prepare  yourself  as  if  you  were  really  go- 
ing to  Communion ;  you  try  to  imagine  yourself  going  up,  re- 
ceiving the  Blessed  Sacrament,  and  returning  to  your  place. 
Then  you  thank  God  for  all  His  blessings  to  you  as  you  would 
have  done  had  you  received.  This  is  an  act  of  devotion,  and 
one  very  pleasing  to  God,  as  many  holy  writers  tell  us. 

I  cannot  leave  this  lesson  on  the  Holy  Eucharist  without 
telling  you  something  of  the  devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart  of 
Jesus,  now  so  universally  practised  and  so  closely  connected 
with  the  devotion  to  the  Blessed  Sacrament.  The  Church 
grants  many  indulgences,  and  Our  Lord  Himself  promises 
many  rewards  to  those  who  honor  the  Sacred  Heart.  But 
what  do  we  mean  by  the  Sacred  Heart  ?  We  mean  the  real 
natural  heart  of  Our  Lord,  to  which  His  divinity  is  united  as 
it  is  to  His  whole  oody.  But  why  do  we  adore  this  real,  nat- 
ural heart  of  Our  Lord  ?  We  adore  it  because  love  is  said  to 
be  in  the  heart,  and  we  wish  to  return  Our  Lord  love  and  grat- 
itude for  the  great  love  He  has  shown  to  us  in  dying  for  us,  and 
in  instituting  the  sacraments,  especially  the  Holy  Eucharist,  by 
which  He  can  remain  with  us  in  His  sacred  humanity.  When 
Our  Lord  appeared  to  Blessed  Margaret  Mary  He  said:  "  Be- 
hold this  Heart,  that  has  loved  men  so  ardently,  and  :s  so 
little  loved  in  return."  The  first  Friday  of  every  month  and 
the  whole  month  of  June  are  dedicated  to  the  Sacred  Heart. 


On  Extreme  Unction  and  Holy  Ordern.  243 


LESSON  TWENTY-FIFTH. 

ON   EXTREME  UNCTION  AND   HOLY   ORDERS. 

"  Unction"  means  the  anointing  or  rubbing  with  oil  or 
ointment.  "Extreme"  means  last.  Therefore  Extreme 
Unction  means  tlie  last  anointing.  It  is  called  the  "last"' 
because  other  unctions  or  anointings  are  received  before  it. 
We  are  anointed  at  Baptism  on  three  parts  of  the  body — on 
the  breast,  the  back,  and  the  head.  We  are  anointed  on 
the  forehead  at  Confirmation ;  and  when  priests  are  ordained 
they  are  anointed  on  the  hands.  The  last  time  we  are 
anointed  is  just  before  death,  and  it  is  therefore  very  prop- 
erly called  the  last  anointing,  or  Extreme  Unction.  But 
if  the  person  should  not  die  after  being  anointed  would  it 
still  be  called  Extreme  Unction?  Yes;  because  at  the  time 
it  was  given  it  was  thought  to  be  the  last.  It  sometimes 
liappens  that  persons  receive  Extreme  Unction  several  times 
in  their  lives,  because  they  could  receive  it  every  time  they 
were  in  danger  of  death  by  sickness.  Suppose  a  person  should 
die  immediately  after  being  anointed  in  Baptism  or  Confir- 
mation, would  the  anointing  in  Baptism  or  Confirmation 
then  become  Extreme  Unction  ?  No.  Because  Extreme 
Unction  is  in  itself  a  separate  and  distinct  sacrament — a 
special  anointing  with  prayers  for  the  sick.  Oil  is  used  in 
Extreme  Unction — as  in  Confirmation — as  a  sign  of  strength; 
for  as  the  priest  applies  the  holy  oil  in  the  sacrament,  the 
grace  of  the  sacrament  is  taking  effect  upon  the  soul.  This 
sacrament  was  instituted  as  much  for  the  body  as  for  the 
soul,  as  all  the  prayers  said  by  the  priest  while  administering 
it  indicate.  It  is  given  generally  after  a  person  has  made  his 
confession  and  received  the  Viaticum,  and  when  his  soul  is 
already  in  a  state  of  grace ;  showing  that  it  is  in  a  special  way 
intended  for  the  body.     It  must  be  given  only  hi  sickness; 


244  On  Extreme  Unction  and  Holy  Orders. 

for  although  one  might  be  iu  danger  of  death  if  the  danger 
did  not  come  from  within,  but  from  without,  he  could  not  be 
anointed.  A  soldier  in  battle,  persons  being  shipwrecked, 
firemen  working  at  a  great  fire,  etc.,  could  not  be  anointed, 
although  they  are  in  very  gi-eat  danger  of  death;  because  the 
danger  is  not  from  within  themselves,  but  from  without.  If, 
however,  these  persons  were  so  frightened  that  there  was 
danger  of  their  dying  from  the  fright,  they  could  then  be 
anointed. 

271  Q.  What  is  the  Sacrament  of  Extreme  Unction? 

A.  Extreme  Unction  is  the  sacrament  which,  through 
the  anointing  and  prayer  of  the  priest,  gives  health  and 
strength  to  the  soul,  and  sometimes  to  the  body,  when 
we  are  in  danger  of  death  from  sickness. 

"  Anointing."  In  this  sacrament  the  priest  anoints  all  out 
senses, — the  eyes,  the  ears,  the  nose,  the  mouth,  the  hands, 
and  the  feet, — and  at  the  same  time  prays  God  to  foi-give  the 
poor  sick  person  all  the  sins  he  has  committed  by  any  of  these. 
The  eyes,  by  looking  at  bad  objects  or  pictures;  the  ears,  by 
listening  to  bad  conversation;  the  nose,  by  indulging  too  much 
in  sensual  pleasures;  the  mouth,  by  cursing,  lying,  bad  con- 
versation, backbiting,  etc. ;  the  hands,  by  stealing,  fighting, 
or  doing  sinful  things;  the  feet,  by  carrying  us  to  do  wrong  or 
to  bad  places.  I  told  you  already  nearly  all  our  sins  are  com- 
mitted for  our  body,  and  the  senses  are  the  chief  instruments. 
"  Strength  to  the  body,"  if  it  is  for  our  spiritual  welfare.  If 
God  foresees,  as  He  foresees  all  things,  that  after  our  sickness 
we  shall  lead  better  lives  and  do  penance  for  our  sins,  then  He 
may  be  pleased  to  restore  us  to  health,  and  give  us  an  oppor- 
tunity of  making  up  for  our  past  faults.  But  if  He  foresees 
that  after  our  sickness  we  would  again  lead  bad  lives,  and  fall 
perhaps  into  greater  sins,  then  He  will  likely  take  us  when  we 
are  prepared,  and  will  not  restore  us  again  to  health.  As  He 
always  knows  and  does  what  is  best  for  His  children,  we  must 
in  sickness  always  be  resigned  to  His  holy  will,  and  be  satis- 
fied with  what  He  sees  fit  to  do  with  us. 


On  Extreme  Unction  and  Holy  Orders.  245 

*  272  Q.  When  should  we  receive  Extreme  Unction  ? 
A.  We  should   receive   Extreme    Unction    when   we 

are  in  danger  of  death  from  sickness,  or  from  a  wound 
or  accident. 

*  273  Q.  Should   we   wait   until   we   are    in    extreme 
danger  before  we  receive  Extreme  Unction? 

A.  We  should  not  wait  until  we  are  in  extreme  dan- 
ger before  wo  receive  Extreme  Unction,  but  if  possible  we 
should  receive  it  whilst  we  have  the  use  of  our  senses. 

We  should  always  be  glad  to  receive  the  grace  of  the 
Siicrnments.  When,  therefore,  we  are  sufficiently  ill-  to  hv 
anointed — when  there  is  any  danger  of  death — we  should 
send  for  the  priest  at  once.  If  the  sick  person  has  any  chance 
of  recovering,  the  sacrament  will  help  him  and  hasten  the  re- 
covery; but  if  the  priest  is  sent  for  just  when  the  person  is  in 
the  last  agony  of  death,  the  person  could  not  recover  except 
by  a  miracle,  and  God  does  not  perform  miracles  for  ordinary 
reasons.  If  you  are  in  doubt  Avhether  the  person  is  sick 
enough  to  receive  the  last  sacraments,  do  not  be  the  judge 
yourself:  send  for  the  priest  and  let  him  judge;  and  then  all 
the  responsibility  is  removed  from  you  in  case  the  person  should 
die  without  the  sacraments.  Very  often  persons  are  near 
death,  and  their  relatives  do  not  know  it.  The  priest,  like 
the  doctor,  has  experience  in  these  cases,  and  can  judge  oi 
the  danger.  Again,  do  not  foolishly  believe,  as  some  seem  to 
do,  that  if  the  priest  comes  to  anoint  the  sick  person  it  will 
frighten  him  by  making  him  think  he  is  going  to  die.  It  haa 
never  been  known  that  the  priest  killed  any  one  by  coming  to 
see  him;  and  if  these  same  persons  who  are  now  sick  receive 
the  sacraments  in  the  church  from  the  very  same  priest,  why 
should  they  be  afraid  to  receive  them  from  him  in  their  house  ? 
And  if  they  are  so  near  death  that  a  little  fright  would  kill 
them,  then  they  are  surely  sick  enough  to  receive  the  sacra- 
ments. The  sick  person  who  is  afraid  that  Extreme  Unction 
will  kill  him  or  hasten  his  death  shows  that  he  has  not  the 
proper  faith  and  confidence  in  God's  grace.  They  who  do 
not  wish  to  receive  holy  Communion  or  the  Holy  Viaticum 


246  On  Extreme  Unction  and  Holy  Orders. 

in  their  houses  do  not  want  Our  Lord  to  visit  them.  How 
ungrateful  they  are  !  When  Our  Lord  was  on  earth  the 
people  carried  the  sick  out  into  the  streets  to  lay  them  near 
Him  that  He  might  cure  them.  Now,  He  does  not  require  us 
to  do  that,  but  comes  Himself  to  the  sick  in  the  most  humble 
manner,  and  they  refuse  to  receive  Him.  See  how  ungrateful, 
therefore,  and  how  wanting  in  faith  and  devotion  such  per- 
sons are  !  If  the  sick  person  is  one  who  has  been  careless 
about  his  religion,  and  has  for  some  time  neglected  to  receive 
the  sacraments,  do  not  wait  for  him  to  ask  for  the  priest 
or  for  his  consent  to  send  for  him.  Few  persons  ever 
believe  they  are  so  near  death  as  they  really  are:  they  are 
afraid  to  think  of  their  past  lives,  and  do  not  like  to  send 
for  the  priest,  or  at  least  they  put  off  doing  so,  frequently 
till  it  is  too  late.  The  devil  tempts  them  to  put  off  the  re- 
ception of  the  sacraments,  in  hopes  that  they  may  die  without 
them,  and  be  his  forever.  In  these  cases  speak  to  the  sick  man 
quietly  and  gently,  and  ask  him  if  he  would  not  like  to  have 
the  priest  come  and  say  a  few  prayers  for  iiis  recovery.  Do 
not  say  anything  about  the  sacraments  if  you  are  afraid  he  will 
refuse.  Simply  bring  the  priest  to  the  sick  man,  and  he  will 
attend  to  all  the  rest.  Even  if  the  person  should  refuse — if 
he  has  been  baptized  in  the  Catholic  religion — send  for  the 
priest  and  explain  to  him  the  circumstances  and  dispositions 
of  the  sick  man.  It  would  be  terrible  to  let  such  persons  die 
without  the  sacraments  if  there  is  any  possibility  of  their  re- 
ceiving them.  Even  when  they  refuse  to  see  the  priest  it 
generally  happens  that  after  he  has  once  visited  them,  talked 
to  them,  and  explained  the  benefits  of  the  sacraments,  they 
are  better  pleased  than  any  one  else  to  see  him  coming  again. 
Sometimes  it  is  God's  goodness  that  sends  sickness  to  such 
persons,  to  bring  them  back  to  His  worship  and  the  practice 
of  their  religion.  What  does  a  good  father  generally  do  with 
an  unruly  child?  He  advises  and  warns  it,  and  when  words 
have  no  effect,  punishes  it  with  the  rod,  not  because  he  wishes 
to  see  it  suffer,  but  for  its  good,  that  it  may  give  up  its  evil 
habits  and  become  an  obedient,  loving  child.     In  like  manner 


On  Extreme  Unction  and  Holy  Orders.  247 

God  warns  sinners  by  their  conscience,  by  sermons  they  hear, 
by  accidents  or  deaths  around  about  them,  etc.;  and  when 
none  of  these  things  have  any  effect  on  them.  He  sends  them 
some  affliction — He  brings  them  to  a  bed  of  sickness.  He 
punishes  them,  as  it  were,  with  a  rod.  This  He  does,  not 
that  He  may  see  them  suffer,  but  for  their  good;  that  they 
may  understand  He  is  their  Master,  the  only  one  who  can 
give  them  health;  that  all  the  doctors  and  all  the  friends  and 
money  in  the  world  could  not  save  them  if  He  determined 
that  they  should  die.  Then  they  come  to  know  that  the 
world  is  not  their  friend;  then  they  see  things  as  they  really 
are,  and  begin  to  think  of  the  next  world,  of  eternity,  etc. 
Thus  they  again  turn  to  God  and  to  the  practices  of  religion. 
Many  persons  who  reform  and  begin  to  lead  good  lives  in 
sickness  would  never  have  changed  if  God  had  left  them 
always  in  good  health.  But  you  must  not  think  that  all  who 
are  sick  are  so  on  account  of  sin.  Sometimes  very  holy  per- 
sons are  in  a  state  of  sickness,  and  then  it  is  sent  them  that 
they  may  bear  it  patiently,  and  have  great  merit  before  God 
for  their  sufferings,  and  thus  become  more  holy.  Again,  very 
small  children  who  have  never  sinned  are  sick,  and  then  it  is 
perhaps  that  their  parents  may  have  merit  for  patiently  tak- 
ing care  of  them.  I  say  only  that  God  sometimes  sends  sick- 
ness to  persons  living  in  sin  for  the  purpose  of  bringing  them 
back  to  a  better  way  of  living,  and  in  that  case  their  sickness 
is  for  them  a  great  mercy  from  God,  who  might  have  allowed 
them  to  continue  in  sin  till  His  judgments  and  condemnation 
came  suddenly  upon  them. 

274  Q.  Which  are  the  effects  of  the  Sacrament  of  Ex- 
^eme  Unction? 

A.  The  effects  of  Extreme  Unction  are:  first,  to  com- 
fort us  in  the  pains  of  sickness  and  to  strengthen  us 
against  temptations ;  second,  to  remit  venial  sins  and  to 
cleanse  our  soul  from  the  remains  of  sin;  third,  to  re- 
store us  to  health  when  God  sees  fit. 

*  275  Q.  What  do  you  mean  by  the  remains  of  sin? 
A.  By  the  remains  of  sin  I  mean  the  inclination  to 


248  On  Extreme  Unction  and  Holy  Orders. 

evil  and  the  weakness  of  the  will,  which  are  the  result 
of  our  sins  and  which  remain  after  our  sins  have  been 
forgiven. 

"Remains  of  sin" — that  is,  chiefly  the  bad  habits  we  have 
acquired  by  sin.  If  a  person  does  a  thing  very  often,  he  soon 
begins  to  do  it  very  easily,  and  it  becomes,  as  we  say,  a  habit. 
So,  too,  a  person  who  sins  very  much  soon  begins  to  sin  ea« 
sily.  This  sacrament  therefore  takes  away  the  ease  in  sinning, 
and  the  desire  for  past  sins  acquired  by  frequently  commit* 
ting  them. 

*  276  Q.  How   should  we    receive    the    Sacrament  ot 
Extreme  Unction? 

A.  We  should  receive  the  Sacrament  of  Extreme 
Unction  in  a  state  of  grace  and  with  lively  faith  and 
resignation  to  the  will  of  God. 

*  277  Q.  "Who  is  the  minister  of  the  Sacrament  of  Ex- 
treme Unction? 

A.  The  priest  is  the  minister  of  the  Sacrament  of 
Extreme  Unction. 

The  sacraments  that  the  priest  administers  in  the  house 
are  the  sacraments  for  the  sick;  namely.  Penance,  Viaticum, 
or  holy  Communion,  and  Extreme  Unction,  The  other  sac- 
raments may  be  administered  there  in  special  cases  of  neces- 
sity. You  should  know  what  things  are  to  be  prepared  when 
the  priest  comes  to  administer  the  sacraments  in  your  house. 
They  are  as  follows :  A  small  table  covered  with  a  clean  white 
cloth,  and  on  it  a  crucifix  and  one  or  two  lighted  candles  in 
candlesticks;  some  holy  water  in  a  small  vessel,  with  a  sprink- 
ler  which  you  can  make  by  tying  together  a  few  leaves  or 
small  pieces  of  palm;  a  glass  of  clean  Avater,  a  tablespoon, 
and  a  napkin  for  the  sick  person  to  hold  under  the  chin 
while  receiving;  also  a  piece  of  white  cotton  wadding,  if  the 
priest  should  ask  for  it. 

Then  you  may  have  ready  in  another  place  near  at  hand 
some  water,  a  towel,  and  a  piece  of  bread  or  lemon  for  puri- 
fying the  priest's  fingers;  but  these  things  are  not  always 
necessary:  still,  it  would  be  better  to  have  them  ready  in 


On  Extreme  Unction  and  Holy  Orders,  249 

case  the  priest  should  require  them,  so  as  not  to  keep  him 
waiting.  Every  good  Catholic  family  should  have  all  these 
things  put  away  carefully  in  the  house.  It  would  be  well, 
though  it  is  not  necessary,  to  keep  a  special  spoon,  napkin, 
etc.,  for  that  purpose  alone.  Sometimes  persons  are  taken  ill 
very  suddenly  in  the  night,  and  when  tlie  priest  comes  they 
have  none  of  the  thiugs  they  should  have  ;  and  if  their  neigh- 
bors are  as  careless  as  themselves,  the}'^  will  not  have  them 
either:  so  the  priest  is  delayed  in  giving  the  sacraments,  or  is 
obliged  to  administer  them  in  a  way  that  is  almost  disrespect- 
ful to  Our  Lord.  If  we  would  make  such  preparations  for 
the  coming  of  a  friend  to  our  house,  why  should  we  be  so 
careless  when  Our  Lord  comes  ?  If  a  friend  comes  when  we 
are  not  prepared  to  receive  him,  we  feel  very  much  ashamed, 
and  make  a  thousand  excuses  for  our  want  of  thought. 
Therefore  provide  the  things  necessary  for  the  administra- 
tion of  these  sacraments  in  your  house,  and  keep  them  though 
they  may  be  seldom  if  ever  required  in  your  family. 

When  Our  Lord  comes  to  visit  your  house  receive  Him 
with  all  possible  respect  and  reverence.  Some  good  Catholics 
have  the  very  praiseworthy  practice  of  meeting  the  priest  at 
the  door  with  a  lighted  candle  when  he  carries  the  Blessed 
Sacrament,  and  of  going  before  him  to  the  sick-room.  This 
can  be  done  where  there  is  only  one  family  living  in  the 
house,  or  at  least  in  the  apartment.  All  who  can  do  this 
should  do  it,  because  it  is  in  keeping  with  the  wish  of  the 
Church.  In  olden  times,  and  even  now  in  Catholic  countries, 
the  priest  brings  the  Blessed  Sacrament  in  procession  to  the 
sick.  He  goes  vested  as  for  Benediction,  accompanied  by 
altr.r-Doys  with  lighted  candles  and  bells.  The  people  kneel 
by  the  way  as  Our  Lord  passes.  Our  Lord  is  carried  in  pro- 
cession always  in  the  church  on  the  feast  of  Corpus  Christi, 
on  Holy  Thursday,  and  during  the  Devotion  of  Forty  Hours. 
The  Church  would  like  to  have  this  solemn  procession  in 
honor  of  Our  Lord  every  time  the  Blessed  Sacrament  is 
brought  from  one  place  to  another.  But  this  cannot  always 
be  done  in  the  streets,  because  there  are  many  persons  not 
Catholics  who  would  insult  Our  Lord  while  passing  along; 


250  On  Extreme  Unction  and  Holy  Orders. 

and  in  jider  to  prevent  this,  the  priest  brings  the  Blessed 
Sacrament  to  the  dying  without  any  outward  display.  But 
we  should  always  remember  the  very  great  respect  due  to  Our 
Lord^  and  do  all  M'e  can  to  show  it  when  possible. 

278  Q.  What  is  the  Sacrament  of  Holy  Orders? 

A.  Holy  Orders  is  a  sacrament  by  which  bishops, 
priests,  and  other  ministers  of  the  Church  are  ordained 
and  receive  the  power  and  grace  to  perform  their  sacred 
duties. 

"  Other  ministers/'  means  deacons  and  subdeacons,  prop- 
erly so-called.  When  a  young  man  goes  to  study  for  the 
priesthood— after  he  has  discovered  that  God  has  called  him 
to  that  sacred  office — he  passes  several  years  in  learning  what 
is  necessary,  and  in  fitting  himself  for  his  sacred  duties.  Af- 
ter some  time  he  receives  what  is  called  Tonsure;  that  is,  on 
the  day  of  ordination  the  bishop  cuts  a  little  hair  from  five 
places  on  his  head,  to  show  that  this  young  man  is  giving 
himself  up  to  God.  The  tonsure  is  a  mark  of  the  clerical 
state,  and  in  Catholic  countries  it  is  made  manifest  by  keeping 
a  small  circular  spot  on  the  crown  of  the  head  shaved  perfectly 
clean.  It  reminds  the  cleric  or  priest  of  having  dedicated 
himself  to  God,  and  also  of  the  crown  of  thorns  worn  by 
Our  Blessed  Saviour.  For  this  last  reason  some  of  the  holy 
monks  shaved  all  the  hair  from  their  head,  with  the  exception 
of  a  little  ring,  which  resembles  very  much  a  wreath  or  crown 
of  hair  encircling  the  head.  You  often  see  them  thus  repre- 
sented in  holy  pictures. 

After  the  young  student  has  received  the  tonsure  and 
studied  for  a  longer  time,  he  receives  the  four  Minor  Orders, 
by  which  he  is  permitted  to  touch  the  sacred  vessels  of  the 
altar,  and  do  certain  things  about  the  church  which  laymen 
have  not  the  right  to  do,  especially  to  serve  Mass.  After 
more  preparation  he  becomes  a  subdeacon,  and  then  he  may 
wear  vestments  and  assist  the  celebrant  at  Solemn  Mass.  At 
a  Solemn  Mass  there  are  three  priests  in  vestments.  The 
priest  standing  on  the  platform  of  the  altar  and  celebrating 
Mass  is  called  the  celebrant i  the  one  who  stands  just  behind 


On  Extreme  Unction  and  Holy  Orders.  251 

him,  generally  one  step  lower,  is  called  the  deacon,  and  the 
one  who  stands  behind  the  deacon  and  on  the  lowest  step  is 
called  the  subdeacon.  The  one  who  directs  the  whole  cere- 
mony, and  gives  signs  to  the  others  when  to  stand,  sit  down, 
or  kneel,  is  called  the  Master  of  Ceremonies. 

When  speaking  of  the  Ma?s,  I  forgot  to  tell  you  something 
nbont  the  different  kinds  of  Masses — that  is,  different  as  far 
as  the  ceremonies  are  concerned,  for  they  are  all  alike  in 
value.  First  we  have  the  Low  Mass,  such  as  the  priest  says 
every  day  and  at  the  early  hours  on  Sundays.  It  is  called 
low,  because  thorc  is  no  display  in  ceremony  about  it.  Next 
we  have  the  High  Mass — called  Missa  Cantata  (sung) — at 
which  the  priest  and  choir  sing  in  turn.  Lastly,  we  have  the 
Solemn  High  Mass,  at  which  we  have  three  ministers  or 
priests,  and  singing  by  both  ministers  and  choir,  as  well  as  all 
the  ceremonies  prescribed  by  the  Church.  When  any  of 
these  Musses  are  said  in  black  vestments  they  are  called  Re- 
quiem Masses,  because  the  priest  offers  them  for  the  rest  or 
happy  repose  of  the  soul  of  some  dead  person  or  persons,  and 
the  word  requiem  means  rest.  Vespers  is  a  portion  of  the 
Divine  Office  of  the  Church.  It  is  sung  generally  on  Sunday 
afternoon  or  evening  in  the  church,  and  is  usually  followed 
by  Benediction  of  the  Blessed  Sacrament.  It  is  not  a  mortal 
sin  to  stay  from  Vespers  on  Sundays,  even  wilfully,  because 
there  is  no  law  of  the  Church  obliging  you  to  attend.  Never- 
theless all  good  Catholics  will  attend  Vespers  when  possible. 

To  continue  about  the  ministers  of  the  Church  :  Whec 
the  subdeacon  is  ordained  a  dencon,  he  can  wear  still  more  of 
the  priestly  vestments,  and  also  baptize  solemnly,  preach,  and 
give  holy  Communion.  After  a  time  the  deacon  is  ordained 
a  priest,  and  receives  power  to  celebrate  .  Mass  and  forgive 
sins.  If  afterwards  the  priest  should  be  selected  by  the  Holy 
Father  to  be  a  bishop,  he  is  consecrated;  and  then  he  has 
power  to  administer  Confirmation  and  Holy  Orders,  ordaining 
priests  and  consecrating  bishops.  Thus  you  see  there  are 
grades  through  which  the  ministers  of  the  Church  must  pass. 
First  the  tonsare,  then  Minor  Orders,  then  subdeaconship, 
then  deaconship,  then  priesthood.^     X^uns,  Sisters,  Brothers. 


252  On  Extreme  Unction  and  Holy  Orders. 

etc.,  are  not,  as  some  might  think,  ministers  of  the  Chuich, 
because  they  have  never  received  any  of  the  Holy  Orders. 

The  ordained  ministers  of  the  Church  can  perform  the 
duties  of  any  office  for  which  they  have  ever  been  ordained, 
but  not  the  duties  of  any  office  above  that  to  which  tliey  have 
been  ordained.  For  example,  a  sub-deacon  cannot  take  tlie 
place  of  a  deacon  at  Mass,  nor  a  deacon  the  place  of  a  priest; 
but  a  priest  may  take  either  of  their  places,  because  he  has, 
at  one  time,  been  ordained  to  both  these  offices. 

Altar-boys  should  never  forget  that  they  are  enjoying  a 
very  great  privilege  in  being  allowed  to  take  the  place  of  an 
ordained  minister  of  the  Church,  and  serve  Mass  without  being 
ordained  acolytes. 

In  olden  times  princes  and  noblemen  used  to  seek  for  this 
wonderful  favor,  and  count  themselves  happy  if  they  secured  it. 
Think  of  it!  To  stand  so  near  our  blessed  Lord  that  they 
are  able  to  see  His  sacred  body  resting  upon  the  altar,  and  to 
offer  the  wine,  which  a  few  minutes  later  is  changed  into  His 
very  blood! 

*  279  Q.  What  is  necessary  to  receive  Holy  Orders 
worthily  ? 

A.  To  receive  Holy  Orders  worthily  it  is  necessary 
to  be  in  the  state  of  grace,  to  have  the  necessary  knowl- 
edge, and  a  divine  call  to  this  sacred  ofllce. 

*' Knowledge" — that  is,  to  be  able  to  learn  and  to  have 
learned  all  that  a  priest  should  know. 

"  Divine  call,"  explained  before  in  the  explanation  of 
vocation,  a  word  that  means  call.     (See  Lesson  Sixth,  Q.  51.) 

*  280  Q.  How  should  Christians  look  upon  the  priests 
of  the  Church? 

A.  Christians  should  look  upon  the  priests  of  the 
Church  as  the  messengers  of  God  and  the  dispensers  of 
His  mysteries. 

"Messengers."  Our  Lord  said  to  His  apostles:  "As  the 
Father  sent  Me,  I  also  send  you."  That  is,  as  the  heavenly 
Father  sent  His  Beloved  Son.  Qur  Lord,  into  the  world  to 


Un  Extreme  XTnction  and  Holy  Orders.  253 

save  men's  souls,  so  Our  Lord  sends  His  apostles  and  their 
successors  through  the  world  to  save  souls.  God  told  the 
priests  of  the  Old  Law  that  if  they  did  not  warn  the  people  of 
comiug  dangers  they  would  beheld  responsible  for  the  people; 
but  if  they  warned  the  people  and  the  people  did  not  heed, 
then  the  people  would  be  responsible  for  their  own  destruc- 
tion. So,  too,  in  the  New  Law  the  priests  warn  you  against 
sin,  and  if  you  do  not  heed  the  warning  the  loss  of  your  soul 
will  be  upon  yourself.  Therefore  you  should  take  every  warn- 
ing coming  from  the  ministers  of  God  as  you  would  from 
Himself,  for  it  is  really  God  that  warns  you  against  sin,  and 
the  priests  are  only  His  agents  or  instruments.  "Dispensers'* 
— that  is,  those  who  administer  the  sacraments. 

*  281  Q.  Who    can    confer    the    Sacrament    of   Holy 
Orders  ? 

A.  Bishops  can  confer  the  Sacrament  of  Holy  Orders. 

**  Confer  " — that  is,  give  or  administer.  So  can  a  cardinal, 
if  he  be  a  bishop,  and  so  can  the  Holy  Father,  who  is  always 
a  bishop.  a:id  called  bishop  of  Rome,  while  Pope  of  the  whole 
Church.  It  will  be  well  here  to  give  some  explanation  about 
cardinals— who  they  are,  and  what  they  do.  In  the  United 
States  the  President  has  about  him  seven  or  eight  prominent 
men  selected  by  himself,  and  called  his  Cabinet.  They  are 
his  advisers;  he  consults  them  on  all  important  matters,  and 
assigns  to  them  various  duties.  The  Holy  Father,  who  is  also 
a  ruler — a  spiritual  ruler — not  of  one  country,  but  of  the  Avhole 
world,  has  also  a  Cabinet,  but  it  is  not  called  by  that  name: 
it  is  called  the  Sacred  Colh'ge  of  Cardinals.  There  are 
seventy  cardinals,  to  whom  the  Pope  assigns  various  works  in 
helping  him  to  govern  the  Church.  Some  of  these  cardinals 
are  in  diiferent  parts  of  the  world;  as  our  own  Cardinal 
Gibbons  here  in  America.  There  are  cardinals  in  England, 
France,  Germany,  Canada,  Spain,  etc.,  but  a  certain  number 
always  remain  in  Rome  with  the  Holy  Father.  When  a  bishop 
or  priest  is  made  cardinal  he  is  raised  in  dignity  in  the 
Church,  but  he  does  not  receive  any  greater  spiritual  power 
than  he  had  when  only  a_bishop_Of  Driest.     The  cardinalfi. 


254  On  Extreme  Unction  and  Holy  Orders. 

owiug  to  their  high  dignity,  have  many  privileges  which 
bishops  have  not.  Their  greatest  privilege  is  to  take  part 
in  the  election  of  a  new  Pope  when  tiie  reigning  Pope  dies. 

The  Pope  dresses  in  white,  the  cardinals  in  red,  the 
bishops  in  purple,  and  the  priests  and  other  ministers  in  black. 
A  "Monsignor"  is  also  a  title  of  dignity  granted  by  our  Holy 
Father  to  some  worthy  priests.  It  gives  them  certain  privi- 
leges, and  the  right  to  wear  purple  like  a  bishop.  The  ^'  Vicar- 
General  "  is  one  who  is  appointed  by  the  bisliop  in  the  diocese, 
and  shares  his  power.  In  the  bishop's  absence  he  acts  as 
bishop  in  all  temporal  and  worldly  matters,  and  also  in  some 
spiritual  things,  concerning  the  diocese.  A  diocese  is  the 
extent  of  country  over  which  a  bishop  is  appointed  to  rule, 
as  a  parish  is  the  extent  over  which  a  pastor  is  appointed  to 
administer  the  sacraments  and  rule  under  the  direction  of  the 
bishop.  Pastors  are  also  called  rectors.  Pastor  means  a 
shepherd,  and  rector  means  a  ruler;  and  as  all  pastors  rule 
their  flocks,  pastor  and  rector  mean  about  the  same. 

An  archbishop  is  higher  than  a  bishop,  though  he  has  no 
more  spiritual  power  than  a  bishop.  The  district  over  which 
an  archbishop  rules  contains  several  dioceses  with  their 
bishops,  and  is  called  an  ecclesiastical  province.  The  bishops 
in  the  province  are  called  suffragan  bishops,  because  subject 
in  some  things  to  the  authority  of  the  archbishop,  who  is 
also  called  the  metropolitan,  because  bishop  of  a  metropolis 
or  chief  city  of  the  province  over  which  he  presides. 

The  archbishop  can  wear  the  pallium,  a  garment  worn  by 
the  Pope,  and  sent  by  him  to  patriarchs,  primates,  and  arch-^ 
bishops.  It  is  a  band  of  white  wool,  worn  over  the  shoulders 
and  around  the  neck  after  the  manner  of  a  stole.  It  has  two 
strings  of  the  same  material  and  four  black  or  purple  crosses 
worked  upon  it.  It  is  the  symbol  of  the  plenitude  of  pastoral 
jurisdiction  conferred  by  the  Holy  See.  Morally  speaking,  it 
reminds  the  wearer  how  the  good  shepherd  seeks  the  lost 
sheep  and  brings  it  home  upon  his  shoulders,  and  how  the 
loving  pastor  of  souls  should  seek  those  spiritually  lost  and 
bring  them  back  to  the  Church,  the  true  fold  of  Christ, 


On  Matrimony.  25^5 


LESSON    TWENTY-SIXTH. 
ON  MATRIMONY. 

282  Q.  What  is  the  Sacrament  of  Matrimony  ? 

A.  The  Sacrament  of  Matrimony  is  the  sacrament 
which  unites  a  Christian  man  and  woman  in  lawful 
marriage. 

"  Christian,"  because  if  they  are  not  Christians  they  do 
not  receive  the  grace  of  the  sacrament. 

*  283  Q.  Can  a  Christian  man  and  woman  be  united 
in  lawful  marriage  in  any  other  way  than  by  the  Sacra- 
ment of  Matrimony  ? 

A.  A  Christian  man  and  woman  cannot  be  united  in 
lawful  marriage  in  any  other  way  than  by  the  Sacra- 
ment of  Matrimony,  because  Christ  raised  marriage  to 
the  dignity  of  a  sacrament. 

"  Lawful."  Persons  are  lawfully  married  when  they  com- 
ply with  all  the  laws  of  God  and  of  the  Church  relating  to 
marriage.  To  marry  unlawfully  is  a  mortal  sin,  in  which  the 
persons  must  remain  till  the  sin  is  forgiven.  "Sacrament." 
Before  the  coming  of  Our  Lord  persons  were  married  as  they 
are  now,  and  even  lawfully  according  to  the  lav/s  of  the  Old 
Testament  or  old  religion;  but  marriage  did  not  give  them 
any  grace.  Now  it  does  give  grace,  because  it  is  a  sacrament, 
and  has  been  so  since  the  time  of  Our  Lord.  Before  His 
coming  it  was  only  a  contract,  and  when  He  added  grace  to 
the  contract  it  became  a  sacrament. 

*  284  Q.  Can  the  bond  of  Christian  marriage  be  dis- 
solved by  any  human  power? 

A.  The  bond  of  Christian  marriage  cannot  be  dis- 
eolved  by  any  human  power. 


256  On  Matrimony, 

"Dissolved" — that  is,  can  married  persons  ever — for  any 
cause — separate  and  marry  again;  that  is,  take  another  hus- 
band or  wife  while  the  first  husband  or  wife  is  living  ?  Never, 
if  they  were  really  married.  Sometimes,  for  good  reason,  the 
Church  permits  husband  and  wife  to  separate  and  live  in  dif- 
ferent places;  but  they  are  still  married.  Sometimes  it  hap- 
pens, too,  that  persons  are  not  really  married  although  they 
have  gone  through  the  ceremony  and  people  think  they  are 
married,  and  they  may  think  so  themselves.  The  Church, 
however,  makes  them  separate,  because  it  finds  they  are  not 
really  married  at  all — on  account  of  some  impeding  circum. 
stance  that  existed  at  the  time  they  performed  the  ceremony, 
These  circumstances  or  facts  that  prevent  the  marriage  from 
being  valid  are  called  "  Impediments  to  Marriage."  Some  cf 
them  render  the  marriage  altogether  null,  and  some  only  make 
it  unlawful.  When  persons  make  arrangements  about  getting 
married  they  should  tell  the .  priest  every  circumstance  that 
they  think  might  be  an  impediment.  Here  are  the  chief 
things  they  should  tell  the  priest — privately,  if  possible. 
Whether  both  are  Christians  and  Catholics  ;  whether  either 
has  ever  been  solemnly  engaged  to  another  person;  whether 
they  have  ever  made  any  vow  to  God  with  regard  to  chas- 
tity, the  religious  life,  or  the  like  ;  whether  they  are  re'ated 
and  in  what  degree;  whether  either  was  ever  marri(  i  to 
any  member  of  the  other's  family — say  sister,  broth  ,r,  or 
cousin,  etc.;  whether  either  ever  was  god-parent  in  baptism 
for  the  other  or  for  any  of  the  other*s  children;  w nether 
either  was  married  before,  and  what  proof  can  be  given  of 
the  death  of  the  first  husband  or  wife;  whether  they  really  in- 
tend to  get  married;  whether  they  are  of  lawful  age;  whether 
they  are  in  good  health  or  suffering  from  some  sickness 
that  might  prevent  their  marriage,  etc.  They  should  also 
state  whether  they  live  in  the  parish,  and  how  long  tliey  have 
lived  in  it.  They  should  give  at  least  three  weeks'  notice  be- 
fore their  marriage,  except  in  special  cases  of  necessity.  They 
should  not  presume  to  make  final  arrangements  and  invite 
friends  before   jiiey  have    made    arrangements   with   their 


On  Matrimony.  257 

pastor;  because  if  there  should  be  any  delay  on  account  of 
impediments  it  would  cause  them  great  inconvenience.  Let 
me  take  an  example  of  a  fact  that  would  render  the  marriage 
invalid  or  null  though  the  persons  performing  the  ceremony 
might  not  be  aware  of  it.  Suppose  a  woman's  husband  went 
to  the  war,  and  she  heard  after  a  great  many  yeai'S  that  he  had 
been  killed  in  battle,  and  she,  believing  her  first  husband  to  be 
dead,  married  another  man.  But  the  report  of  the  first  hus- 
band's death  turns  out  to  be  false,  and  after  a  time  he  returns. 
Then  the  Church  tells  the  woman — and  she  knows  it  now  her- 
self— that  the  second  marriage  was  invalid,  that  is,  no  marriage, 
because  it  was  performed  while  the  first  husband  was  still 
living.  She  must  leave  the  second  man  and  go  back  to  her 
husband.  You  see  in  that  case  the  Church  was  not  dissolv- 
ing or  breaking  the  marriage  bond,  but  only  declaring  that 
the  woman  and  second  man  were  not  married  from  the  very 
(beginning,  although  they  thought  they  were,  being  ignorant  of 
the  existing  impediment,  and  the  priest  also  being  deceived 
performed  the  ceremony  in  the  usual  manner.  If  it  ever 
happens,  therefore,  that  you  hear  of  the  Church  permitting 
persons,  already  apparently  married,  to  separate  and  marry 
otliers,  it  is  only  when  it  discovers  that  their  first  marriage 
was  invalid,  and  by  its  action  it  does  not  dissolve  the  bond 
of  marriage,  but  simply  declares  that  the  marriage  was  null 
and  void  from  the  beginning,  as  you  now  easily  understand. 
Thus  persons  might  unwittingly  marry  with  existing  impedi- 
ments that  would  render  their  marriage  invalid  or  illicit. 
Such  things,  however,  happen  very  rarely,  for  the  priest 
would  discover  the  impediments  in  questioning  the  persons 
about  to  marry. 

Protestants  and  persons  outside  the  Catholic  Church  teach 
that  the  marriage  bond  can  at  times  be  dissolved,  but  such 
doctrines  bring  great  evils  upon  society.  When  the  father  and 
mother  separate  and  marry  again,  the  children  of  the  first 
marriage  are  left  to  take  care  of  themselves,  or  receive  only 
such  care  as  the  law  gives  them.  They  are  left  without 
Christian  justructi^n  «,ud  tbo  wood  Infiuenceof  home.     Then 


258  On  Matrimony. 

/  persons  who  are  divorced  once  may  be  divorced  a  second  or 
third  time,  and  thus  all  society  would  be  thrown  into  a  state 
of  confusion,  and  there  would  be  scarcely  any  such  thing  as  a 
family  to  be  found.  It  is  bad  enough  at  present,  on  account 
of  divorces  granted  by  the  laws  and  upheld  by  Protestants; 
and  only  for  the  influence  and  good  public  opinion  created 
by  the  teaching  and  opposition  of  the  Catholic  Church,  it 
would  be  much  worse.  Again,  if  husbands  and  wives  could 
separate  for  this  or  that  fault,  they  would  not  be  careful  in 
making  their  choice  of  tlie  person  they  wish  to  marry,  nor 
would  their  motives  be  always  holy  and  worthy  of  the  sacra- 
ment, 

285  Q.  Which  are  the  eflfects  of  the  Sacrament  of 
Matrimony  ? 

A.  The  effects  of  the  Sacrament  of  Matrimony  are: 
first,  to  sanctify  the  love  of  husband  and  wife ;  second, 
to  give  them  grace  to  bear  with  each  other's  weaknesses ; 
third,  to  enable  them  to  bring  up  their  children  in  the 
fear  and  love  of  God. 

The  union  and  love  existing  between  a  husband  and  wife 
should  be  like  the  union  and  love  existing  between  Our  Lord 
and  His  Church.  The  grace  of  the  sacrament  helps  them  to 
have  such  a  love.  ^'Weaknesses" — that  is,  their  faults,  bad 
dispositions,  etc.  "  Bring  up  their  children."  This  is  their 
most  important  duty,  and  parents  receive  grace  to  perform  it, 
and  woe  be  to  them  if  they  abuse  that  grace!  Children  should 
remember  that  their  parents  have  received  this  special  grace 
from  God  to  advise,  direct,  and  warn  them  of  sin;  and  if  they 
refuse  to  obey  their  parents  or  despise  their  direction,  they 
are  despising  God's  grace.  Remember  that  nothing  teaches 
us  so  well  as  experience.  Now  your  parents,  even  if  God 
gave  them  no  special  grace,  have  experience.  They  have  been 
children  as  you  are;  they  have  been  young  persons  as  you  are; 
they  have  received  advice  from  their  parents  and  teachers  as 
ron  do.  If  your  parents  are  bad,  it  is  because  they  have  not 
teeded  the  advice  given  them.     If  they  are  good,  it  ii;  because 


On  Matrimony.  259 

they  hare  heeded  and  followed  it.  The  years  of  your  youth 
quickly  pass,  and  you  will  soon  be  thrown  out  into  the  world, 
among  strangers  to  provide  for  yourselves,  and  will  perhaps 
have  no  one  to  advise  you.  If  you  neglect  to  learn  while  you 
have  the  opportunity  you  will  be  sorry  for  it  in  after  life.  If 
you  waste  your  time  in  school,  you  will  leave  it  knowing  very 
little,  and  an  ignorant  man  can  never  take  any  good  position  in 
the  world;  he  can  seldom  be  his  own  master  and  independent; 
he  must  always  toil  for  others  as  a  servant.  God  gives  us  our 
talents  and  opportunities  that  we  may  use  them  to  the  best  of 
our  ability,  and  He  will  hold  us  accountable  for  these.  It  is 
good  and  praiseworthy  to  raise  ourselves  and  others  in  the 
world  if  we  do  so  by  lawful  and  proper  means.  You  may 
have  the  opportunity  of  getting  a  good  position,  and  will  not 
be  able  to  take  it  because  you  are  not  sufficiently  educated. 
Many  young  men  live  to  be  sorry  for  wasting  time  in  school, 
and  try  to  make  up  for  it  by  studying  at  night.  You  cannot 
really  make  up  for  lost  time.  Every  moment  God  gives  you 
He  gives  for  some  particular  work,  and  He  will  require  an 
account  from  you,  at  the  last  day,  for  the  use  you  made  of 
your  time.  Besides,  you  can  learn  with  greater  ease  while  you 
are  young.  But  what  shall  I  say  of  neglecting  to  learn  your 
holy  religion  ?  If  you  neglect  your  school  lessons  you  will  not 
be  successful  in  the  world  as  business  men  or  professional 
men;  but  if  you  neglect  your  religious  lessons,  you  will  be 
miserable,  not  merely  in  this  world,  but  in  the  next,  and  that 
for  all  eternity.  Again,  will  you  not  feel  ashamed  to  say  you 
are  a  Catholic  when  persons  who  are  not  Catholics  ask  you 
the  meaning  of  something  you  believe  or  do,  and  you  will  not 
be  able  to  answer  ?  When  they  tell  falsehoods  against  your 
religion,  you  will  not,  on  account  of  your  ignorance,  be  able 
to  refute  them.  Almost  the  only  time  you  have  to  learn  the 
truths  and  practices  of  your  holy  religion  is  during  the  in- 
structions at  Sunday-school  or  day-school,  and  after  a  few 
years  you  will  not  have  this  advantage.  When  you  grow  up 
you  may  hear  a  sermon,  and  if  you  attend  early  Mass,  only  a 
short  instruction,  on  Sundays;  and  if  you  do  not  know  your 


260  On  Matrimony. 

Catechism,  you  will  be  less  able  to  profit  by  the  instructions 
given.  Therefore  the  time  to  learn  is  while  you  are  young, 
have  sufficient  leisure,  and  good,  williug  teachers  to  explain 
whatever  you  do  not  understand. 

When  you  attend  Sunday-school,  bear  in  mind  that  your 
teachers  have  frequently  to  sacrifice  their  time  or  pleasure  for 
your  sake,  and  that  you  should  not  repay  them  for  their  kind- 
ness by  acts  of  disobedience,  disrespect,  and  stubbornness. 
By  spending  your  time  in  idleness,  in  giving  annoyance  to  your 
teacher,  and  in  distracting  others  who  are  willing  to  learn, 
you  show  a  want  of  appreciation  and  gratitude  for  the  bless- 
ings God  has  bestowed  upon  you,  and  please  the  devil  exceed" 
ingly;  and  as  God  will  hold  you  accountable  for  all  His  gifts, 
this  one — the  opportunity  of  learning  your  religion — will  be 
no  exception. 


286  Q.  To  receive  the  Sacrament  of  Matrimony 
worthily,  is  it  necessary  to  be  in  the  state  of  grace  ? 

A.  To  receive  the  Sacrament  of  Matrimony  worthily 
it  is  necessary  to  be  in  the  state  of  grace,  and  it  is 
necessary  also  to  comply  with  the  laws  of  the  Church. 

"  The  laws,"  laws  concerning  marriage.  Laws  forbid- 
ding the  solemnizing  of  marriage  at  certain  times,  namely. 
Advent  and  Lent;  laws  forbidding  marriage  with  relatives, 
or  with  persons  of  a  different  religion  or  of  no  religion;  laws 
with  regard  to  age,  etc. 

*  287  Q.  Who  has  the  right  to  make  laws  concerning 
the  sacrament  of  marriage  ? 

A.  The  Church  alone  has  the  right  to  make  laws 
concerning  the  sacrament  of  marriage,  though  the  State 
also  has  the  rig  lit  to  make  laws  concerning  the  civil 
effects  of  the  marriage  contract. 

**  Civil  effects" — that  is,  laws  with  regard  to  the  property  of 


On  Matrimony.  261 

persons  marrying,  with  regard  to  the  inheritance  of  the  chil- 
dren, with  regard  to  the  debts  of  husband  and  wife,  etc. 

*  288  Q.  Does  the  Church  forbid  the  marriage  of 
Catholics  with  persons  who  have  a  different  religion  or 
no  religion  at  all? 

A.  The  Church  does  forbid  the  marriage  of  Catholics 
with  persons  who  have  a  different  religion  or  no  relig- 
ion at  all. 

*  289  Q.  "Why  does  the  Church  forbid  the  marriage 
of  Catholics  with  persons  who  have  a  different  religion 
or  no  religion  at  all? 

A.  The  Church  forbids  the  marriage  of  Catholics 
with  persons  who  have  a  different  religion  or  no  relig- 
ion at  all  because  such  marriages  generally  lead  to 
indifference,  loss  of  faith,  and  to  the  neglect  of  the 
religious  education  of  the  children. 

We  know  that  nothing  has  so  bad  an  influence  upon  people 
as  bad  company.  Now,  when  a  Catholic  marries  one  who  is 
not  a  Catholic,  he  or  she  is  continually  associated  with  one 
who  in  most  cases  ignores  the  true  religion,  or  speaks  at  least 
with  levity  of  its  devotions  and  practices.  The  Catholic  party 
may  resist  this  evil  influence  for  a  time,  but  will,  if  not  very 
steadfast  in  the  faith,  finally  yield  to  it,  and,  tired  of  numer- 
ous disputes  in  defence  of  religious  rights,  will  become  more 
and  more  indifferent,  gradually  give  up  the  practice  of  re- 
ligion, and  probably  terminate  with  complete  loss  of  faith  or 
apostasy  from  the  true  religion.  We  know  that  the  children 
of  Seth  were  good  till  they  married  the  children  of  Cain,  and 
then  they  also  became  wicked ;  for,  remember,  there  is  always 
more  likelihood  that  the  bad  will  pervert  the  good,  than  that 
the  good  will  convert  the  bad.  Besides  the  disputes  occasioned 
between  husband  and  wife  by  the  diversity  of  their  religion, 
their  families  and  relatives,  being  also  of  different  religions, 
will  seldom  be  at  peace  or  on  friendly  terms  with  one  another. 
Then  the  children  can  scarcely  be  brought  up  in  the  true  re- 


262  On  3Iatr{mony. 

ligion ;  for  the  father  may  wish  them  to  attend  one  church, 
and  the  mother  another,  and  to  settle  the  dispute  they  will 
attend  neither.  Besides,  if  they  have  before  them  the  evil 
example  of  a  father  or  mother  speaking  disparagingly  of  the 
true  religion,  or  perhaps  ridiculing  all  religion,  it  is  not  likely 
they  will  be  imbued  with  great  respect  and  veneration  for 
holy  things.  There  is  still  another  reason  why  Catholics 
should  dread  mixed  marriages.  If  the  one  who  is  not  a  Cath- 
olic loses  regard  for  his  or  her  obligations,  becomes  addicted 
to  any  vice,  and  is  leading  a  bad  life,  the  Catholic  party  has 
no  means  of  reaching  the  root  of  the  evil,  no  hope  that  the 
person  may  take  the  advice  of  the  priest,  or  go  to  confession 
or  do  any  of  those  things  that  could  effect  a  change  in  the 
heart  and  life  of  a  Catholic.  For  all  these  very  good  reasons 
and  others  besides,  the  Church  opposes  mixed  marriages,  as 
they  are  called  when  one  of  the  persons  is  not  a  Catholic. 
Neither  does  the  Church  want  persons  to  become  converts 
eimply  for  the  sake  of  marrying  a  Catholic.  Such  conversions 
are,  as  a  rule,  not  sincere,  and  do  no  good,  but  rather  make 
such  converts  hypocrites,  and  guilty  of  greater  sin. 

•290  Q.  Why  do  many  marriages  prove  unhappy? 
A.  Many  marriages  prove  unhappy  because  they  are 
entered  into  hastily  and  without  worthy  motives. 

"  Hastily" — without  knowing  the  persons  well  or  consid-. 
ering  their  character  or  dispositions;  without  trying  to  di& 
cover  whether  they  are  sober,  industrious,  virtuous,  and  the 
like;  whether  they  know  and  practise  their  religion,  or 
whether,  on  the  contrary,  they  are  given  to  vices  forbidden  by 
good  morals,  and  totally  forgetful  of  their  religious  duties. 
In  a  word,  those  wishing  to  marry  should  look  for  enduring 
qualities  in  their  life-long  companions,  and  not  for  character^ 
istics  that  please  the  fancy  for  the  time  being.  They  should, 
besides,  truly  love  each  other.  Again,  the  persons  should  be 
nearly  equals  in  education,  social  standing,  etc.,  for  it  helps 


On  Matrimony,  263 

greatly  to  secure  harmony  between  their  families  and  unity 
of  thought  and  action  between  themselves. 

''Worthy  motives."  The  motives  are  worthy  wlien  per- 
sons marry  to  fulfil  the  end  for  which  God  instituted  marriage. 
It  would,  for  example,  be  an  unworthy  motive  to  marry  solely 
for  money,  property,  or  other  advantage,  without  any  regard 
for  the  holiness  and  end  of  the  sacrament.  There  are  many 
motives  that  may  present  themselves  to  the  minds  of  persons 
wishing  to  marry,  and  they  will  know  whether  they  are  worthy 
or  unworthy,  good  or  bad,  if  by  serious  consideration  they 
weigh  them  well  and  value  them  by  their  desire  to  please  God 
and  lead  a  good  life. 

Every  person's  motive  in  getting  married  or  in  entering 
into  any  new  state  of  life  should  be  that  he  may  be  able  to 
serve  God  better  in  that  state  than  in  any  other. 

*  291  Q.  How  should  Christians  prepare  for  a  holy 
and  happy  marriage? 

A.  Christians  should  prepare  for  a  holy  and  happy 
marriage  by  receiving  the  Sacraments  of  Penance  and 
Holy  Eucharist;  by  begging  God  to  grant  them  a  pure 
intention  and  to  direct  their  choice;  and  by  seeking  the 
advice  of  their  parents  and  the  blessing  of  their  pastors. 

They  should  pray  for  a  long  time  that  they  may  make  a 
good  choice.  They  would  do  well  to  read  in  the  Holy  Scrip- 
ture, in  the  Book  of  Tobias  (viii.),  of  the  happy  marriage  of 
Tobias  and  Sara,  and  how  they  spent  their  time  in  prayer 
both  before  and  after  their  marriage,  and  how  God  rewarded 
them.  Advice  is  very  necessary,  as  marriage  is  to  last  for  life, 
and  is  to  make  persons  either  happy  or  miserable.  They 
should  ask  advice  from  prudent  persons,  and  should  try  to  learn 
something  of  the  former  life  of  the  oae  they  wish  to  marry. 
They  should  know  something  about  the  family,  whether  its 
members  are  respectable  or  not,  etc.  It  is  an  injustice  topar^ 
ents  for  sons  or  daughters  to  marry  into  families  that  may  have 
been  disgraced,  or  that  mav  bring  disgrace  upon  them.     Some- 


264  On  Matrimony. 

times,  however,  parents  are  unreasonable  in  this  matter:  they 
are  proud  or  vain,  and  want  to  suit  themselves  rather  than 
their  children.  Sometimes,  too,  they  force  marriage  upon 
their  children,  or  forbid  it  for  purely  worldly  or  selfish  motives. 
In  such  cases,  and  indeed  m  all  cases,  the  best  one  to  consult 
and  ask  a  i vice  from  is  your  confessor.  He  has  only  your 
spiritual  interests  at  heart,  and  will  set  aside  all  worldly  mo- 
tives. If  your  parents  are  unreasonable,  he  will  be  a  just 
judge  in  the  matter,  and  tell  you  how  to  act. 

I  have  now  explained  all  the  sacraments,  but  before  finish- 
ing I  must  say  a  word  about  the  Holi/  Otis.  We  have  seen 
that  oil  is  used  in  the  administration  of  some  sacraments. 
There  are  three  kinds  of  oil  blessed  by  the  bishop  on  Holy 
Thursday,  namely,  oil  for  anointing  the  sick,  called  "  oil  of 
the  infirm ;"  oil  to  be  used  in  Baptism  and  in  the  ordination 
of  priests,  called  "oil  of  catechumens"  (catechomens  are 
those  who  are  being  instructed  for  baptism);  the  third  kind 
of  oil  is  used  also  in  Baptism,  in  Confirmation,  and  when  the 
bishop  blesses  the  sacred  vessels,  altars,  etc. ;  it  is  called  "  holy 
chrism."  Therefore  the  sacraments  in  which  oil  is  used  are: 
Baptism,  in  which  two  kinds  are  used;  Confirmation,  Ex- 
treme Unction,  and  Holy  Orders. 


On  the  Sacramentals.  265 


LESSON  TWENTY-SEVENTH. 
ON  THE  SACRAMENTALS. 

292  Q.  Wliat  is  a  sacramental  ? 

A.  A  sacramental  is  anything  set  apart  or  blessed  toy 
the  Church  to  excite  good  thoughts  and  to  increase 
devotion,  and  through  these  movements  of  the  heart  to 
remit  venial  sin. 

It  is  not  the  sacramental  itself  that  gives  grace,  but  the 
devotion,  the  love  of  God,  or  sorrow  for  sin  that  it  inspires. 
For  example,  a  person  comes  into  the  church  and  goes  around 
the  stations  of  the  cross.  The  stations  are  a  sacramental. 
In  looking  at  one  station  he  sees  Our  Lord  on  trial  before 
Pilate  ;  in  another  he  sees  Him  crowned  with  thorns  ;  in  an- 
other, scourged;  in  another,  carrying  His  cross  ;  in  another, 
crucified  ;  in  another,  dead  and  laid  in  the  tomb.  Before  all 
these  pictures  he  reflects  on  the  sufferings  of  Our  Saviour, 
and  begins  to  hate  sin,  that  caused  them.  Then  he  thinks  of 
his  own  sins,  and  begins  to  be  sorry  for  them.  This  sorrow, 
caused  by  going  around  the  stations,  brings  him  grace  tliat  re- 
mits venial  sins.  When  we  receive  the  sacraments  we  always 
get  the  grace  of  the  sacraments  when  we  are  rightly  disposed; 
but  in  using  the  sacramentals,  the  more  devotion  we  have  the 
more  grace  we  receive. 

"Increase  devotion."  If  we  knelt  down  before  a  plain 
white  wall  we  could  not  pray  with  the  devotion  we  would  have 
kneeling  before  a  crucifix.  We  see  the  representation  of  the 
nails  in  the  hands  and  feet,  the  blood  on  the  side,  the  thorns 
on  the  head  ;  and  all  these  must  make  us  think  of  Our  Lord's 
terrible  sufferings.  The  picture  of  a  friend  hanging  before  us 
will  often  make  us  think  of  him  when  we  would  otherwise 
forget  him.  So  also  will  the  pictures  of  Our  Lord  and  of  the 
saints  keep  them  often  in  our  minds. 


266  On  the  Sacramentals. 

*  293  Q.  What  is  the  difierence  between  the  sacra- 
ments and  the  sacramentals  P 

A.  The  difference  between  the  sacraments  and  the 
sacramentals  is:  first,  the  sacraments  were  instituted 
by  Jesus  Christ  and  the  sacramentals  were  instituted 
by  the  Church;  second*  the  sacraments  give  grace  of 
themselves  when  we  place  no  obstacle  in  the  way; 
Ihe  sacramentals  excite  in  us  pious  dispositions,  by 
means  of  which,  we  may  obtain  grace. 

The  Church  can  increase  or  diminish  the  number  of  tlie 
»iacTamental3,  but  not  the  number  of  the  sacraments, 

294  Q.  Which  is  the  chief  sacramental  used  in  the 
Church  ? 

A.  The  chief  sacramental  used  in  the  Church  is  the 
«ign  of  the  cross. 

295  Q.  How  do  we  make  the  sign  of  the  cross? 

A.  We  make  the  sign  of  the  cross  by  putting  the 
tight  hand  to  the  forehead,  then  on  the  breast,  and  then 
to  the  left  and  right  shoulders ;  saying,  In  the  name  of 
the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost. 
Amen. 

It  is  important  to  make  an  exact  cross,  and  to  say  all  the 
words  distinctly.  From  carelessness  and  habit  some  persons 
do  not  make  the  sign  of  the  cross,  though  they  often  intend 
to  bless  themselves.  They  put  the  hand  only  to  the  forehead 
and  breast,  or  forehead  and  chin,  or  forehead  and  shoulders, 
etc.  Some  do  not  even  touch  the  forehead.  All  these,  it  is 
true,  are  some  signs  and  movements  of  the  hand,  but  they  are 
not  the  sign  of  the  cross.  Therefore,  from  childhood  form 
the  good  habit  of  blessing  yourself  correctly,  and  you  will  con- 
tinue to  do  it  properly  all  your  life. 

296  Q.  Why  do  we  make  the  sign  of  the  cross  ? 

A.  We  make  the  sign  of  the  cross  to  show  that  we 
are'  Christians  and  to  profess  our  belief  in  the  chief 
mysteries  of  our  religion. 


On  the  Sacramentah.  267 

The  cross  is  the  banner  or  standard  of  Christianity,  just 
as  the  stars  and  stripes — the  flag  of  the  United  States — is  our 
civil  standard,  and  shows  to  what  nation  we  belong. 


*  297  Q.  How  is  the  sign  of  the  cross  a  profession  of 
feith  in  the  chief  mysteries  of  our  religion  ? 

A.  The  sign  of  the  cross  is  a  profession  of  faith  in 
ihe  chief  mysteries  of  our  religion  because  it  expresses 
the  mysteries  of  the  Unity  and  Trinity  of  God  and  ol 
the  Incarnation  and  death  of  Our  Lord. 


*  298  Q.  How  does  the  sign  of  the  cross  express  the 
mystery  of  the  Unity  and  Trinity  of  God? 

A.  The  words:  "In  the  name"  express  the  Unity  ol 
God ;  the  words  that  follow,  "  of  the  Father,  and  of  the 
Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost "  express  the  mystery  of  the 
1'rinity. 

*  299  Q.  How  does  the  sign  of  the  cross  express  the 
mystery  of  the  Incarnation  and  death  of  Our  Lord  ? 

A.  The  sign  of  the  cross  expresses  the  mystery  of 
the  Incarnation  by  reminding  us  that  the  Son  of  God, 
haying  become  man,  suffered  death  on  the  cross. 

Besides  these  chief  mysteries,  we  will  find,  if  we  think  a 
little,  that  the  sign  of  the  cross  reminds  us  of  many  other 
things.  It  reminds  us  of  the  sin  of  our  first  parents,  which 
made  the  cross  necessary;  it  reminds  us  of  the  hatred  God 
bears  to  sin,  when  such  sufferings  were  endured  to  make  sat- 
isfaction for  it;  it  reminds  us  of  Christ's  love,  etc. 


300  Q.  What  other   sacramental  is  in  very  frequent 
ase? 

A.  Another  sacramental  in  very  frequent  use  is  holy 
water. 

301  Q.  What  is  holy  water  ? 

A.  Holv  water   is  water  blessed    bv  the  Driest  with 


268  On  tJi3  Sacramentah. 

solemn  prayer  to  ':og  God's  blessing  on  those  who  use 
it,  and  protection  from  the  power  of  darkness. 

The  priest  prays  that  those  who  use  this  water  may  not 
fall  into  sin;  may  be  free  from  the  power  of  the  devil  and 
from  bodily  diseases,  etc.  Therefore  when  they  do  use  the 
water  they  get  the  benefit  of  all  these  prayers,  because  the 
priest  says:  "If  they  use  it,  God  grant  them  all  these  things.'* 

302  Q.  Are  there  any  other  sacramentals  besides 
the  sign  of  the  cross  and  holy  water  ? 

A.  Besides  the  sign  of  the  cross  and  holy  water  there 
are  many  other  sacramentals,  such  as  blessed  candles, 
ashes,  palms,  crucifixes,  images  of  the  Blessed  Virgin 
and  of  the  saints,  rosaries,  and  scapulars. 

"  Candles,"  blessed  on  the  Feast  of  the  Purification  of  the 
Blessed  Virgin  (see  Butler's  Lives  of  the  Saints,  Feb.  2d, 
Feast  of  the  Purification).  The  Church  blesses  whatever  it 
uses.  Some  say  beautifully  that  the  wax  of  the  candle  gathered 
by  the  bees  from  sweet  flowers  reminds  us  of  Our  Lord's  pure, 
human  body,  and  that  the  flame  reminds  us  of  Hip  divinity. 
Again,  caudles  about  the  altar  remind  us  of  the  angels,  those 
bright  spirits  ever  about  God's  tiirone;  the/  remind  us,  too, 
of  the  persecution  of  the  Christians  in  the  flrst  ages  of  the 
Church,  when  they  had  to  hear  Mass  and  receive  the  sacraments 
in  dark  places,  where  lights  were  necessary  that  priests  and 
people  might  see.  Again,  lights  are  a  beautiful  ornament  for 
the  altar,  and  in  keeping  with  holy  things.  Lights  are  a  sign 
of  joy:  hence  the  very  old  custom  of  lighting  bonfires  to  ex- 
press joy.  So  we  have  lights  to  express  our  joy  at  the  cele- 
bration of  the  holy  Mass.  Again,  if  we  wish  to  honor  any 
great  person  in  the  Church  or  State,  we  illuminate  the  city 
for  his  reception.  So,  too,  we  illuminate  our  altars  and 
churches  for  the  reception  of  Our  Lord,  that  we  may  honor 
Him  when  He  comes  in  the  Holy  Sacrifice  of  the  Mass,  and 
is  present  at  Benediction. 


On  the  Sacramentals.  269 

"Ashes*'  are  placed  on  our  heads  by  the  priest  on  Ash 
Wednesday,  while  he  says  :  "  Remember,  man,  thou  art  but 
dust,  and  unto  dust  thou  shalt  return."     They  are  a  sign  of  ^ 
penance,  and  so  we  use  them  at  the  beginning  of  Lent. 

"  Palms,"  to  remind  us  of  Our  Lord's  coming  in  triumph 
into  Jerusalem,  when  the  people  out  of  respect  for  Him  thre\f' 
palms,  and  even  their  garments,  beneath  His  feet  on  the  way, 
singing  His  praises  and  wishing  to  make  Him  king.  Yet 
these  same  people  only  one  week  later  were  among  those  who 
crucified  Him.  Do  we  not  also  at  times  honor  Our  Lord,  call 
Him  our  king,  and  shortly  afterwards  insult  and,  as  far  as  we 
can,  injure  Him  by  sin?  Do  we  not  say  in  the  Our  Father, 
*'  Hallowed,  or  praised,  be  His  name,"  and  blaspheme  it  our- 
selves ? 

"  Crucifix,"  if  it  has  an  image  of  Our  Lord  upon  it;  if  not, 
it  is  simply  a  cross,  because  crucifix  means  fixed  to  the  cross. 

"Images" — that  is,  statues,  pictures,  etc. 

*'  Rosaries,"  called  also  the  beads.  The  rosary  or  beads  is 
a  very  old  and  very  beautiful  form  of  prayer.  In  the  begin- 
ning pious  people,  we  are  told,  used  to  say  a  certain  number 
of  prayers,  and  keep  count  of  them  on  a  string  with  knots  or 
,  beads.  However  that  may  be,  the  rosary,  as  we  now  have  it, 
comes  down  to  us  from  St.  Dominic.  He  instructed  the 
people  by  it,  and  converted  many  heretics.  In  the  rosary  beads 
there  are  fifty-three  small  beads  on  which  we  say  the  "  Hail 
Mary"  and  six  large  beads  on  which  we  say  the  "  Our  Father." 
In  sjiying  the  rosary,  before  saying  the  "Our  Father"  on 
the  large  beads,  we  think  or  meditate  for  a  while  on  some 
event  in  the  life  of  Our  Lord,  and  these  events  we  call 
mysteries  of  the  rosary.  There  are  fifteen  of  these  events 
taken  in  the  order  in  which  they  occurred  in  the  life  of 
Our  Lord;  and  hence  there  are  fifteen  mysteries  in  the  whole 
rosary.  First  we  have  the  five  joiiful  mystei'ies.  (1)  The 
Annunciation — that  is,  the  angel  Gabriel  coming  to  tell  the 
Blessed  Virgin  that  she  is  to  be  the  mother  of  God.  (3)  The 
Visitation,  when  the  Blessed  Virgin  went  to  visit  her  cousin 


270  On  the  Sacramentats. 

St.  Elizabeth—  the  mother  of  St.  John  the  Baptist,  who  was 
six  months  older  thau  Our  Lord.  Elizabeth  said  to  her, 
*'  Blessed  art  tliou  amongst  women,  and  blessed  is  the  fruit 
of  thy  womb;"  and  the  Blessed  Virgin  answered  her  in  the 
beautiful  words  of  the  Magnificat,  that  we  sing  at  Vespers 
while  the  priest  incenses  the  altar.  (3)  The  Nativity,  or  birth 
of  Our  Loid,  which  reminds  us  how  He  was  born  in  a  stable, 
in  poverty  and  lowliness.  (4)  The  Presentation  of  the  child 
Jesus  in  the  Temple.  According  to  the  law  of  Moses, 
the  people  were  obliged  to  bring  the  first  boy  born  in  every 
family  to  the  temple  in  Jerusalem  and  offer  him  to  God. 
Then  they  gave  some  offering  to  buy  him  back,  as  it  wei-e, 
from  God.  The  Blessed  Virgin  and  St.  Joseph,  who  kept  all 
the  laws,  took  Our  Lord  and  offered  Him  in  the  temple — al- 
though He  Himself  was  the  Lord  of  the  temple.  Neverthe, 
less  otheis  did  not  know  this,  and  the  Blessed  Virgin  and  St. 
Joseph  observed  the  laws,  though  not  bound  to  do  so,  that 
their  neighbors  might  not  be  scandalized  in  seeing  them  neg- 
lect these  things.  They  did  not  know,  as  she  did,  that  the 
iittle  infant  was  the  Son  of  God,  and  need  not  keep  the  law  of 
Moses  or  any  law,  because  He  was  the  maker  of  the  laws.  We 
should  learn  from  this  never  to  give  scandal;  and  even  when 
we  have  good  excuse  for  not  observing  the  law,  we  should 
observe  it  for  the  sake  of  good  example  to  others;  or  at  least, 
when  we  can,  we  should  explain  why  we  do  not  observe  the 
law.  (5)  The  fifth  joyful  mystery  is  the  finding  of  the  child 
Jesus  in  the  temple.  All  the  men  and  boys,  from  twelve 
years  of  age  upward,  were  obliged,  according  to  the  Old  Law, 
to  go  up  to  Jerusalem  and  offer  sacrifice  on  the  great  feasts. 
On  one  of  these  feasts  the  Blessed  Virgin,  St.  Joseph,  and 
Our  Lord  went  to  Jerusalem.  When  His  parents  and  their 
friends  were  returning  home  Our  Lord  was  missing.  He 
had  not  accompanied  them  from  the  city.  Then  the  Blessed 
Virgin  and  St.  Joseph  went  back  to  Jerusalem  and  sought 
Him  with  great  sorrow  for  three  days.  At  the  end  of 
that  time  they  found  Him  in  the  temple  sitting  with  the 


On  the  Sacramentcils.  271 

doctors  of  the  law  asking  them  questions.  Our  Lord  obedi- 
ently returned  with  His  parents  to  Nazareth.  At  thirty  years 
of  age  He  was  baptized  by  John  the  Baptist  in  the  river 
Tordan.  The  baptism  of  John  was  not  a  sacrament,  did  not 
give  grace  of  itself;  but,  like  a  sacramental,  it  disposed  those 
who  received  it  to  be  sorry  for  their  sins  and  to  receive  the 
gift  of  faith  and  baptism  of  Christ.  Tlie  eighteen  years  from 
the  time  Our  Lord  went  down  to  Nazareth  after  being  found 
in  the  temple  till  His  baptism  is  called  His  hidden  life,  while 
all  that  follows  His  baptism  is  called  His  public  life.  It  is 
very  strange  that  not  a  single  word  should  be  given  in  the 
Holy  Scriptures  about  Our  Lord  during  His  youth— the  very 
time  young  men  are  most  anxious  to  be  seen  and  heaid. 
Our  Lord  knew  all  things  and  could  do  all  things  when  a 
young  man,  and  yet  for  the  sake  of  example  He  remained 
silent,  living  quietly  with  His  parents  and  doing  His  daily 
work  for  them.  Thus  you  understand  what  is  meant  by  the 
five  joyful  mysteries  of  the  rosary:  the  Annunciation,  the 
Visitation,  the  Nativity  of  Our  Lord,  the  Presentation  of  the 
child  Jesus  in  the  temple,  apd  the  finding  of  the  child  Jesus. 
in  the  temple.  You  meditate  on  one  of  these  before  each 
decade  (ten)  of  the  beads. 

Next  in  order  in  the  life  of  Our  Lord  come  the  five 
events  called  the  sorroicful  mysteries,  namely:  (1)  The  agony 
in  the  garden,  when  Our  Lord  went  there  to  pray  on  Holy 
Thursday  night,  before  He  was  taken  prisoner.  There  the 
blood  came  out  through  His  body  as  perspiration  does  through 
ours,  and  He  was  in  dreadful  anguish.  The  reason  of  His 
sorrow  and  anguish  has  already  been  given  in  the  explanation 
of  the  Passion.  (3)  The  scourging  of  Our  Lord  at  the  pillar. 
This  also  has  been  explained.  What  terrible  cruelty  existed 
in  the  world  before  Christianity  !  In  our  times  the  brute 
beasts  liave  more  protection  from  cruel  treatment  than  the 
pagan  slaves  had  then.  The  Church  came  to  their  assistance. 
It  taught  that  all  men  are  God's  children,  that  slaves  as  well  as 
masters  were  redeemed  bv  Jesus  Chris^^  a-rd  that  masters  must 


2Y54  On  the  iSacramentcUs. 

be  kind  and  just  to  their  slaves.  Many  converts  from  pagaa- 
ism,  through  love  for  Our  Lord  and  this  teaching  of  the  Church, 
granted  liberty  to  tlieir  slaves;  and  thus  as  civilization  spread 
with  the  teaching  of  Christianity,  slavery  ceased  to  exist.  It 
Was  not  in  the  power  of  the  Church,  however,  to  abolish 
slavery  everywhere,  but  she  did  it  as  soon  as  she  conld. 
Even  at  present  she  is  fighting  hard  to  protect  the  pool 
negroes  of  Africa  against  it,  or  at  least  to  moderate  its  cruelty. 

(3)  The  third  sorrowful  mystery  is  the  crowning  with  thorns. 

(4)  The  carriage  of  the  cross  to  Calvary.  It  was  the  common 
practice  to  make  the  prisoner  at  times  carry  his  cross  to  the 
place  of  execution,  and  over  the  cross  they  printed  what  he 
was  put  to  death  for.  That  is  the  reason  they  placed  over 
Our  Lord's  cross  I.  N.  E.  I,,  which  are  the  first  letters  of  four 
Latin  words  meaning,  "  Jesus  of  Nazareth,  King  of  the  Jews." 
They  pretended  by  this  sign  that  Our  Lord  was  put  to  death 
for  calling  Himself  King  of  the  Jews,  and  was  thus  a  dis- 
turber of  the  public  peace,  and  an  enemy  of  the  Eoman 
emperor  under  whose  power  they  were.  Our  Lord  did  say 
that  He  was  King  of  the  Jews,  but  He  also  said  that  He  was 
not  their  earthly  but  their  heavenly  king.  The  real  cause 
Df  their  putting  Our  Lord  to  death  was  the  jealousy  of  the 
Jewish  priests  and  Pharisees.  He  rebuked  them  for  their 
faults,  and  showed  the  good,  sincere  people  what  hypocrites 
these  men  were.  (5)  The  last  of  the  sorrowful  mysteries  is 
the  crucifixion.  At  the  foot  of  the  cross  our  blessed  Mother 
stood  on  the  day  of  crucifixion,  and  it  must  have  been  a  very 
sad  sight  for  Our  Lord.  She  was  without  any  one  to  take 
care  of  her;  for  St.  Joseph  was  dead,  and  her  Son  was  soon  to 
die.  Our  Lord  asked  St.  John,  one  of  His  apostles,  to  take 
care  of  her.  St.  John  was  dear  to  Christ,  and  on  that  account 
is  called  the  beloved  disciple.  He  is  known  to  us  as  St.  John 
the  Evangelist.  He  was  the  last  of  the  apostles  to  die.  At 
one  time  he  was  cast  into  a  caldron  of  boiling  oi],  but  was 
miraculously  saved  by  God  (see  Butler's  Lives  of  the  Saints, 
Dec.  27).     He  lived  to  be  over  a  hundred  years  old,  and  while 


On  the  SacramerUals.  273 

on  the  island  of  Patmos  wrote  the  Apocalypse  or  Eevelations, 
— the  last  book  of  the  New  Testament, — containing  prophecies 
of  what  will  happen  at  the  end  of  the  world.  The  Blessed 
Virgin  lived  on  earth  aI)out  eleven  years  after  the  ascension 
of  Our  Lord.  They  buried  her  in  a  tomb,  and  tradition  tells 
us  that  after  her  burial  the  angels  carried  her  body  to  heaven, 
"where  she  now  sits  beside  her  divine  Son.  This  taking  of 
iier  body  to  heaven  is  called  the  Assumption.  This  feast  was 
celebrated  in  the  Church  from  a  very  early  age.  A  very 
strong  proof  of  the  Assumption  is  that  no  persons  ever  claimed 
to  have  any  part  of  the  body  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  as  a  relic. 
We  have  the  bodies  of  some  of  the  apostles,  especially  St. 
Peter,  St.  Paul,  and  St.  James  transmitted  to  us ;  and  cer- 
tainly if  it  had  been  possible  the  first  Christians  would  have 
endeavored  to  get  some  portion,  at  least,  of  the  Blessed  Vir- 
gin^s  body.  Surely  St.  John,  who  knew  her  so  well,  would 
have  given  to  the  church  he  established  some  part  of  her 
body  as  a  relic;  but  since  her  entire  body  was  taken  to 
heaven,  it  was  never  possible. 

After  the  sorrowful  mysteries  come  the  five  glorious  mys- 
teries, And  they  are:  (1)  The  Resurrection  of  Our  Lord;  (2) 
The  Ascension  of  Our  Lord;  (3)  The  Coming  of  the  Holy 
Ghost  upon  the  Apostles;  (4)  The  Assumption  of  the  Blessed 
Virgin;  (5)  The  Coronation  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  in  heaven. 
^11  but  the  last  have  been  explained  in  foregoing  parts  of 
the  Catechism.  In  this  last  mystery  we  consider  our  blessed 
Lady  just  after  her  entrance  into  heaven,  being  received  by 
her  divine  Son,  our  blessed  Lord,  and  being  crowned  queen 
of  heaven  over  all  the  angels  and  saints.  In  saying  the  ro- 
sary we  are,  as  I  have  told  you  before,  to  stop  after  mention- 
ing the  mystery  and  think  over  the  lesson  it  teaches,  and  thus 
excite  ourselves  to  love  and  devotion  before  saying  the  "  Our 
Father"  and  "  Hail  Marys"  in  honor  of  it.  Generally  what 
we  call  the  beads  is  only  one  third  of  the  rosary;  that  is,  we 
can  only  say  five  mysteries  on  the  beads  unless  we  go  over 
them  three  times.     If  you  say  your  beads  every  day  you 


274  On  the  Sacramentats. 

will  Bay  the  whole  rosary  twice  a  week  and  have  one  day  to 
spare. 

On  Sundays,  except  the  Sundays  of  Aa^ent  and  Lent,  we 
should  say  always  the  glorious  mysteries.  You  sec,  the  mys« 
teries  run  in  the  order  in  which  they  happen  in  Our  Lord's 
life.  So  on  Monday  we  say  the  joyful  mysteries,  on  Tuesday 
the  sorrowful,  and  on  Wednesday  the  glorious.  Then  we 
begin  again  on  Thursday  the  joyful,  on  Friday  the  sorrow- 
ful, on  Saturday  the  glorious.  In  Advent  we  say  the  joyful, 
and  in  Lent  the  sorrowful  mysteries  on  every  day.  In  Easter- 
time  we  always  say  the  glorious  mysteries. 

I  have  told  you  what  the  letters  I.  ^'.  R.  L  mean ;  ncM-  let 
me  tell  you  what  I.  H.  S.  with  a  cross  over  them  mean.  You 
often  see  these  letters  on  altars  and  on  lioly  things.  They 
are  simply  an  abbreviation  for  Our  Lord's  name.  "Jesus,"  as 
it  was  first  written  in  G?eek  letters.  Some  also  take  these 
letters  for  the  first  letters  of  the  Latin  words  that  nieun: 
Jesus,  Saviour  of  men.  And  as  the  cross  is  placed  over  these 
letters  it  can  signify  that  He  saved  them  by  His  death  on  the 
cross. 

''Scapulars.'*  The  scapular  is  a  large  broad  piece  of  clotb 
\Fom  by  the  monks  and  priests  of  some  of  the  religious  or- 
ders. It  extends  from  the  toes  in  front  to  the  heels  behind, 
and  is  wide  enough  to  cover  the  shoulders.  It  is  worn  ever 
the  cassock  or  habit.  It  is  called  scapular  because  it  rests  on 
the  shoulders.  The  scapular  as  we  wear  it  is  two  small 
pieces  of  cloth  fastened  together  by  two  pieces  of  braid  or 
cord  resting  on  the  shoulders.  It  is  made  thus  in  imitation 
of  the  large  scapular^  and  is  to  be  worn  under  our  ordinary 
garments.  The  brown  scapular  is  called  the  Scapular  of 
Mount  Carmel.  It  was  given,  we  are  told  on  good  authority, 
to  blessed  Simon  Stock  by  the  Blessed  Virgin  herself,  with 
wonderful  promises  in  favor  of  those  who  wear  it.  The 
Church  grants  many  privileges  and  indulgences  to  those  who 
wear  the  scapular. 

We  wear  the  scapular  to  indica-**  that  w«  t))a/>e  ourselves 


On  the  Sacramentals.  27ft 

under  the  special  protection  of  tlie  Blessed  Virgin.  We  can 
tell  to  what  army  or  nation  a  soldier  belongs  by  the  uniform 
he  wears;  so  we  can  consider  the  scapular  as  the  particular 
uniform  of  those  who  desire  to  serve  the  Blessed  Virgin  in 
some  special  manner.  This  wearing  of  the  brown  scapular  is 
therefore  a  mark  of  special  devotion  to  the  Blessed  Virgin 
Mary.  As  it  was  first  introduced  among  the  people  by  the 
Carmelite  Fathers,  or  priests  of  the  Order  of  Mount  Carmel, 
this  Scapular  is  called  the  Scapular  of  Mount  Carmel.  We 
have  also  a  red  scapular  in  honor  of  Our  Lord''s  passion;  a 
white  one  in  honor  of  the  Holy  Trinity;  a  blue  one  in  honor  of 
the  Immaculate  Conception,  and  a  black  one  in  honor  of  the 
seven  dolors  or  sorrows  of  the  Blessed  Virgin.  When  all  these 
are  joined  together  (not  in  one  piece,  but  at  the  top  only) 
and  worn  as  one,  they  are  called  the  five  scapulars. 

The  seven  dolors  are  seven  chief  occasions  of  sorrow  in  the 
life  of  our  blessed  Lady.  They  are:  (1)  The  circumcision 
of  Our  Lord,  when  she  saw  his  blood  shed  for  the  first  time. 
(2)  Her  flight  into  Egypt  to  save  the  life  of  the  little  Lifant 
Jesus  when  Ilerod  was  seeking  to  kill  Him.  (3)  The  three 
days  she  lost  Him  in  Jerusalem.  (4)  When  she  saw  Christ 
carrying  His  cross.  (5)  His  death.  (6)  When  He  was  taken 
down  from  the  cross.  (7)  When  He  was  laid  in  the  sepul- 
chre. There  are  beads  called  seven  dolor  beads  constructed 
with  seven  medals  bearing  representations  of  these  sorrows, 
and  seven  beads  between  each  medal  and  the  next.  At  the 
medals  we  meditate  on  the  dolor,  and  then  in  its  honor  say 
'"'  Hail  Marys  "  on  the  beads. 


270  On  Prayer. 


LESSON  TWENTY-EIGHTH. 
ON  PRAYER. 

303  Q.  Is  there  any  other  means  of  obtaining  God's 
grace  than  the  Sacraments? 

A.  There  is  another  means  of  obtaining  God's  grace, 
and  it  is  prayer. 

304  Q.  What  is  prayer? 

A.  Prayer  is  the  lifting  up  of  oiir  minds  and  hearts 
to  God  to  adore  Him,  to  thank  Him  for  His  benefits,  to 
ask  His  forgiveness,  and  to  beg  of  Him  all  the  graces 
we  need  whether  for  soul  or  body. 

''Hearts/'  because  the  mere  lifting  up  of  the  mind  would 
not  be  prayer.  One  who  blasphemes  Him  might  also  lift  up 
his  mind.  We  lift  up  the  mind  to  know  God  and  the  heart 
to  love  Him,  and  in  so  doing  we  serve  Him — the  three  things 
for  which  we  were  created.  If  we  do  not  think  of  God  we  do 
not  pray.  A  parrot  might  be  taught  to  say  the  "  Our  Father/' 
but  it  could  never  pray,  because  it  has  no  mind  to  lift  up. 
A  phonograph  can  be  made  to  say  the  prayers,  but  not  to 
pray,  for  it  has  neither  mind  nor  heart.  So  praying  does 
not  depend  upon  the  words  we  say,  but  upon  the  way  in 
which  we  say  them.  Indeed  the  best  prayer,  called  medita- 
tion, is  made  when  we  do  not  speak  at  all,  but  simply  think 
of  God;  of  His  goodness  to  us;  of  our  sins  against  Him  ;  of 
hell,  purgatory,  heaven,  death,  judgment,  of  the  end  for 
which  we  were  created,  etc.  This  is  the  kind  of  prayer  that 
priests  and  religious  use  most  frequently.  As  you  might  like 
to  meditate — for  all  who  know  how  may  meditate — let  me 


On  Prayer.  211 

explain  to  you  the  method.  First  you  try  to  remember  that 
you  are  in  the  presence  of  God.  Then  you  take  some  sub- 
ject, say  the  Crucifixion^  to  think  about.  You  try  to  make  a 
picture  of  the  scene  in  your  own  mind.  You  see  Our  Lord 
on  the  cross;  two  thieves,  one  on  each  side  of  Him,  the  one 
praying  to  Our  Lord  and  the  other  cursing  Him.  You  see 
the  multitude  of  His  enemies  mocking  Him.  Over  at  some 
distance  you  behold  our  blessed  Mother  standing  sori-owful 
with  St.  John  and  Mary  Magdalen.  Then  you  ask  yourself — 
for  you  must  imagine  yourself  there — to  which  side  would  you 
go.  Over  to  our  blessed  Mother  to  try  and  console  her,  or 
over  to  the  enemies  to  help  them  to  mock  ?  Then  you  think 
how  sin  was  the  cause  of  all  this  suffering,  and  how  often  you 
yourself  have  sinned  ;  how  you  have  many  a  time  gone  over 
to  the  crowd  and  left  the  blessed  Mother.  These  thoughts 
will  make  you  sorry  for  your  sins,  and  you  will  form  the  good 
resolution  never  to  sin  again.  You  will  thank  God  for  these 
good  thougiits  and  this  resolution,  and  your  meditation  is 
ended.  You  can  spend  fifteen  minutes,  or  longer  if  you  wish, 
in  such  a  meditation.  The  Crucifixion  is  only  one  of  the 
many  subjects  you  may  select  for  meditation.  You  could  take 
any  part  of  the  "Our  Father,"  "  Hail  Mary,"  or  "Creed,"  and 
even  the  questions  in  your  Catechism.  Mental  prayer,  there- 
fore, is  the  best,  because  in  it  we  must  think;  we  must  pay 
attention  to  what  we  are  doing,  and  lift  up  our  minds  and 
hearts  to  God;  while  in  vocal  prayer — that  is,  the  prayer  we 
say  aloud — we  may  repeat  the  words  from  pure  habit,  with- 
out any  attention  or  lifting  up  of  the  mind  or  heart. 

305  Q.  Is  prayer  necessary  to  salvation? 
A.  Prayer  is  necessary   to  salvation,   and  without  it 
no  one  having  the  use  of  reason  can  be  saved. 

We  mean  here  those  who  never  pray  during  their  whole 
lives,  and  not  those  who  sometimes  neglect  their  prayers 
through  a  kind  of  forgetfulness. 


278  On  Prayer. 

306  Q.  At  what  particular  times  should  we  pray? 

A.  We  should  pray  particularly  on  Sundays  and  holy- 
days,  every  morning  and  night,  in  all  dangers,  tempta- 
tions, and  alllictions. 

"  Sundays  and  holy-days,"  because  these  are  special  days 
set  apart  by  the  Church  for  the  woriship  of  God.  In  the 
"morning"  we  ask  God's  grace  that  we  may  not  sin  during 
the  day.  At  "  night "  we  thank  Him  for  all  the  benefits  re- 
ceived during  the  day,  and  also  that  we  may  be  protected 
while  asleep  from  every  danger  and  accident.  We  should 
never,  if  possible,  go  to  sleep  in  mortal  sin;  and  if  we  have 
the  misfortune  to  be  in  that  state,  we  should  make  as  perfect 
an  act  of  contrition  as  we  can,  and  promise  to  go  to  confession 
as  soon  as  possible.  So  many  accidents  happen  that  we  are 
never  safe,  even  in  good  health;  fires,  earthquakes,  floods, 
lightning,  etc.,  might  take  us  off  at  any  moment.  If  you  saw  a 
man  hanging  by  a  very  slender  thread  over  a  great  precipice 
where  he  would  surely  be  dashed  to  pieces  if  the  thread 
broke,  and  if  you  saw  him  thus  risking  his  life  wilfully  and 
without  necessity,  you  would  pronounce  him  the  greatest  fool 
in  the  world.  One  who  commits  sin  is  a  greater  fool.  He 
suspends  himself,  as  I  have  told  you  once  before,  over  an 
abyss  of  eternal  torments  on  the  slender  thread  of  his  own  life, 
that  may  break  at  any  moment.  Do  Ave  tempt  God  and  do  to 
Him  what  we  dare  not  do  to  our  fellowmen  because  He  is  so 
merciful  ?  Let  us  be  careful.  He  is  as  Just  as  He  is  merci- 
ful, and  some  sin  will  be  our  last,  and  then  He  will  cut  the 
thread  of  life  and  allow  us  to  fall  into  an  eternity  of  suffer- 
ings. "  Dangers,"  whether  of  soul  or  body.  "  Afflictions," 
sufferings  or  misfortunes  of  any  kind  ;  such  as  loss  of  health, 
fleath  in  the  family,  etc. 

*  307  Q.  How  should  we  pray  ? 
A.  We  should   pray:    first,  with  attention;    second, 
with  a  sense  of  our  own  helplessness  and  dependence 
upon  God ;  third,  with  a  great  desire  for  the  graces  wo 


On  Prayer.  279 

beg  of  God ;  fourth,  with  trust  in  God's  goodness ;  fifth, 
with  perseverance. 

*' Attention,"  thinking  of  what  we  are  going  to  do.  Be- 
fore praying  we  should  think  for  a  moment  what  prayer  is. 
In  it  we  are  about  to  address  Almighty  God,  our  Creator, 
and  we  are  going  to  ask  Him  for  something — and  what  is  the 
particular  thing  we  need  and  seek  for  ?  No  one  would  think 
of  going  to  a  store  without  first  considering  what  he  wanted 
to  buy.  He  would  make,  too,  all  the  necessary  preparations 
for  getting  it.  He  would  find  out  how  much  he  wanted,  and 
what  it  would  cost,  and  bring  with  him  sufficient  money.  He 
would  never  think  of  going  in  and  telling  the  storekeeper  to 
give  him  anything.  Now  it  is  the  same  in  prayer.  When 
we  have  thought  of  what  we  want  of  God,  from  whom  we  can 
obtain  it,  and  of  the  reasons  why  we  need  it  a,nd  why  God 
might  be  pleased  to  grant  it,  we  can  then  kneel  down  and 
pray  for  it.  We  should  pray  to  God  just  as  a  child  begs 
favors  from  its  parents.  We  should  talk  to  Him  in  our  own 
simple  words,  and  tell  Him  the  reasons  why  we  ask  and  why 
we  think  He  should  grant  our  request.  We  should,  however, 
be  humble  and  patient  in  all  our  prayers.  God  does  not  owe 
us  anything,  and  whatever  He  gives  is  a  free  gift.  We  should 
not  always  read  prayers  at  Almighty  God.  If  you  wanted 
anything  very  badly  from  a  friend,  you  would  know  how  to 
ask  for  it.  You  would  never  ask  another  to  write  out  your 
request  on  paper,  and  then  go  and  read  it  to  your  friend. 
Now,  that  is  Just  what  we  do  when  we  read  the  prayers  that 
somebody  else  has  written  in  a  prayer-book.  Try,  therefore, 
to  pray  with  your  own  prayers.  Of  course  when  the  Church 
gives  you  certain  prayers  to  say — as  it  does  to  its  priests  in 
the  divine  office — or  recommends  to  you  such  prayers  as  the 
''  Our  Father,"  "  Hail  Mary,"  and  ''  Creed,"  you  should  say 
them  in  preference  to  your  own,  because  then  the  Church 
adds  its  petition  to  yours,  and  God  is  more  likely  to  grant 
such  prayers.     I  mean,  therefore,  that  we  should  not  always 


280  On  Prayer. 

pray  from  prayer-books,  and  hurry  through  the  "  Our  Father** 
that  we  may  give  more  time  to  some  priuted  prayer  that 
pleases  us.  Our  prayer  should  be  a  conversation  with  God. 
We  should,  after  speaking  to  Him,  listen  to  what  He  has  to 
say  to  us,  by  our  conscience,  good  thoughts,  etc. 

I  must  warn  you  against  some  prayers  that  have  been  cir- 
culated by  impostors  for  the  purpose  of  making  money. 
They  pretend  that  these  prayers  were  found  in  some  remark- 
able place  or  manner  ;  that  those  who  carry  them  or  say  them 
will  have  most  wonderful  advantages  ; — they  will  never  meet 
with  accident  ;  they  will  be  warned  of  their  death  ;  they  will 
go  directly  to  heaven  after  death,  etc.  If  there  were  any  such 
wonderful  prayers  the  Church  would  surely  know  of  them 
and  commend  them  to  its  children.  When  you  find  any 
prayers  of  the  kind  I  mention,  bring  them  to  the  priest  and 
ask  his  opinion  before  you  use  them  yourself  or  give  them  to 
others.  Never  buy  prayers  or  articles  said  to  be  blessed 
from  persons  unknown  to  you.  Persons  selling  such  things 
are  frequently  impostors,  who  by  suave  mauners  and  pious 
speeches  unfortunately  find  Catholics  who  believe  them. 
These  persons — sometimes  not  Catholics  themselves,  or  at 
least  very  bad  ones — laugh  at  the  superstition  and  foolish 
practices  of  Catholics  who  believe  everything  they  hear  about 
pious  books,  prayers,  or  articles. 

In  the  early  ages  of  the  Church,  when  the  enemies  of  Christ 
found  that  they  could  not  refute  His  teaching,  they  began  to 
circulate  foolish  doctrines,  pretending  that  they  were  taught 
by  Christ,  and  thus  they  hoped  to  bring  ridicule  upon  Chris- 
tianity. So  also  i-n  our  time  many  things  are  circulated  as  the 
teaching  of  the  Catholic  Church  by  the  enemies  of  the  Church, 
in  hopes  that  by  these  falsehoods  and  foolish  doctrines  they 
may  bring  disgrace  and  ridicule  upon  the  true  religion.  Be 
on  your  guard  against  all  impostors,  remembering  it  is  a  safe 
rule  never  to  buy  a  religious  article  from  or  give  money  to 
persons  going  about  from  door  to  door.  If  you  have  anything 
to  give  in  alms,  give  it  to  some  charitable  institution  or  so- 


On  Prayer.  281 

cietj  connected  with  the  Church,  or  put  it  in  the  poor-box^ 
and  then  you  will  be  sure  it  will  do  the  good  you  intend. 
Kemember,  too,  that  all  the  religious  articles  carried  about  for 
sale  do  not  come  from  Rome  or  the  Holy  Land,  and  you  are 
deceived  if  you  think  so,  notwithstanding  the  assurance  of 
their  owners. 

"A  trust" — with  full  confidence  that  God  will  grant  our 
petitions  if  we  really  need  or  deserve  what  we  pray  for.  It  is 
a  fault  with  a  great  many  to  pray  without  the  belief  that  their 
prayers  will  be  answered.  We  should  pray  with  such  faith 
and  confidence  that  we  would  really  be  disappointed  if  our 
prayer  was  not  granted.  Once  when  Our  Lord  was  going 
about  doing  good,  a  poor  woman  who  had  been  suffering  for 
twelve  years  with  a  disease,  and  who,  wishing  to  be  healed,  had 
uselessly  spent  all  her  money  in  seeking  medical  aid,  came  to 
follow  Him  (Mark  v.  25).  She  did  not  ask  Him  to  cure  her, 
but  said  within  herself,  "  If  I  can  but  touch  the  hem  of  His 
garment  I  know  I  shall  be  healed."  So  she  made  her  way 
through  the  throng  and  followed  Our  Lord  till  she  could 
touch  His  garment  without  being  seen.  She  succeeded  in 
accomplishing  her  wishes,  touched  His  garment,  and  was  in- 
stantly cured.  Our  Lord  knew  her  desires  and  what  she  had 
done,  and  turning  around  told  the  people,  praising  her  great 
faith  and  confidence,  on  account  of  which  He  had  healed  her. 
Such  also  should  be  our  confidence  and  trust  when  we  pray 
to  God  for  our  needs. 

"  Perseverance."  We  should  continue  to  pray  though  God 
does  not  grant  our  request.  Have  you  ever  noticed  a  little 
child  begging  favors  from  its  mother  ?  See  its  persistence  ! 
Though  often  refused,  it  will  return  again  and  again  with  the 
same  request,  till  the  mother,  weary  of  its  importunity,  finally 
grants  what  it  asks. 

St.  Monica  prayed  seventeen  years  for  the  conversion  ort 
her  son  St.  Augustine.  St .  Augustine's  father  was  a  pagan, 
and  Monica,  his  wife,  prayed  seventeen  years  for  his  conver- 
sion, and  he  became  a  Christian.    Just  about  that  time  her  son 


282  On  Prayer. 

Augustine,  who  was  attending  school,  fell  in  with  bad  com- 
panions and  became  a  great  sinner.  She  prayed  seventeen 
years  more  for  him,  and  he  reformed,  became  a  great  saint 
and  learned  bishop  in  the  Church.  See,  then,  the  result  of 
thirty-four  years'  prayer:  Monica  herself  became  a  saint,  her 
son  became  a  saint,  and  her  husband  died  a  Christian.  If  St. 
Monica  had  ceased  praying  after  ten  years,  Augustine  might 
not  have  reformed.  We  never  know  when  God  is  about  to 
grant  our  petition,  and  we  may  cease  to  pray  just  when  an- 
other appeal  would  obtain  the  object  of  our  prayer.  So  we 
should  continue  to  pray  till  God  is  pleased  to  grant  our  re- 
quest. Some  say  their  prayers  are  not  heard  when  they  mean 
to  say  their  prayers  are  not  granted;  for  God  always  hears  us. 
But  why  does  He  not  always  grant  our  request  ?  There  are 
many  reasons:  (1)  We  may  not  pray  in  the  proper  manner, 
namely,  with  attention,  reverence,  humility,  patience,  and  per- 
severance. (2)  We  may  ask  for  things  that  God  foresees  will 
not  be  for  our  spiritual  good.  This  is  true  even  for  things 
that  seem  good  to  us,  such  as  the  removal  of  an  affliction, 
temptation,  or  the  like.  It  often  happens  that  God  shows  us 
His  greatest  mercy  in  not  granting  our  prayers.  Suppose,  for 
example,  a  father  held  in  his  hand  a  bright  and  beautiful  but 
very  sharp  instrument,  for  which  his  little  child  continually 
asked.  Do  you  believe  the  father  would  give  it  if  he  loved 
the  child  ?  Certainly  not.  The  child  thinks,  no  doubt,  it 
would  be  benefited  by  the  possession  of  the  instrument,  but 
the  father  sees  the  danger.  As  God  is  our  loving  Father,  He 
acts  with  us  in  the  same  manner.  (3)  Our  prayers  are  not 
granted  sometimes  that  we  may  learn  to  pray  with  proper 
dispositions,  and  God  withholds  what  He  intends  finally  to 
give,  that  we  may  persevere  in  prayer  and  have  greater  merit. 
Have  you  ever  observed  a  mother  teaching  her  child  to  walk  ? 
What  does  she  do?  She  goes  at  some  distance  from  the  child 
and  holds  out  an  object  that  she  knows  will  be  pleasing  to  it, 
and  thus  tempts  it  to  walk  to  her.  When  the  child  draws 
near  she  moves  still  farther  away,  and  keeps  it  walking  for 


On  Prayer.  283 

some  time  before  giving  the  object.  This  she  does,  not  through 
unwillingness  to  give  the  article,  but  in  order  to  teach  the 
child  to  walk,  for  she  loves  to  see  its  efforts.  When  it  falls, 
she  lifts  it  up  and  makes  it  try  again.  So,  too,  God  teaches 
us  to  pray;  and  though  He  loves  us.  He  withholds  His  gifts, 
tliat  we  may  pray  the  longer,  and  thereby  aiiord  Him  greater 
pleasure. 

308  Q..  Which  are  the  prayers  most  recommended  to 
us? 

A.  The  prayers  most  recommended  to  us  are  tho 
Lord's  Prayer,  the  Hail  Mary,  the  Apostles'  Creed,  th« 
Conflteor,  and  the  Acts  of  Faith,  Hope,  Love,  and  Con- 
trition. 

309  Q.  Are  prayers  said  with  distractions  of  any 
avail  ? 

A.  Prayers  said  with  wilful  distractions  are  of  do 
avail. 

"  Distraction  " — that  is,  when  we  willingly  and  knowingh 
think  of  something  else  while  saying  our  prayers.  It  would 
be  better  not  to  pray  than  to  pray  with  disiespect.  If  there 
is  any  time  at  which  we  cannot  pray  well,  we  should  postpone 
our  prayei-:  for  God  does  not  require  us  to  say  our  prayerti 
just  at  a  particular  time;  but  when  we  do  pray.  He  requires, 
us  to  pray  with  reverence  and  respect.  We  would  pray  well 
always  if  we  reflected  on  the  great  privilege  we  enjoy  in  bein^ 
allowed  to  pray. 


284  On  the  Commandments  of  God, 


LESSON  TWENTY-NINTH. 
ON  THE  COMMANDMENTS  OF  GOD. 

310  Q.  Is  it  enough  to  belong  to  God's  Church  in 
order  to  be  saved? 

A.  It  is  not  enough  to  belong  to  the  Church  in  order 
to  be  saved,  but  we  must  also  keep  the  Commandments 
of  God  and  of  the  Church. 

We  call  some  commandments  the  commandments  of  God 
and  others  the  commandments  of  the  Church.  We  do  so  only 
to  distinguish  the  commandments  that  God  gave  to  Moses 
from  those  that  the  Church  made  afterwards.  They  are  all  the 
commandments  of  God,  for  whatever  laws  or  commandments 
the  Church  makes,  it  makes  them  under  the  inspiration  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  and  by  God's  authority.  It  would  be  a  mortal 
sin  to  break  the  commandments  of  the  Church,  just  as  it 
would  be  to  break  the  commandments  of  God.  You  must 
remember  that  the  ten  commandments  always  existed  from 
the  time  of  Adam,  but  they  were  not  written  till  God  gave 
them  to  Moses.  You  know  that  it  was  always  a  sin  to  worship 
false  gods,  to  blaspheme,  to  disobey  parents,  to  kill,  etc. ;  for 
you  know  Cain  was  punished  by  God  for  the  murder  of  his 
brother  Abel  (Genesis  iv.),  and  that  took  place  while  Adam 
was  still  alive. 

Before  the  coming  of  Our  Lord  the  Israelites,  or  God's 
chosen  people,  had  three  kinds  of  laws.  They  had  the  civil 
laws  for  the  government  of  their  nation — just  as  we  have  our 
laws  for  the  people  of  the  United  States.  They  had  their 
oeremonial    laws  for  their  services  in  the  temple — as   we 


On  the  Commandments  of  God.  285 

have  our  ceremonies  for  the  Church.  They  had  their  moral 
laws — such  as  the  commandments — teaching  them  what  tliey 
must  do  to  save  their  souls.  Their  civil  laws  were  done  away 
with  when  they  ceased  to  bo  a  nation  having  a  government 
of  their  own.  Their  ceremonial  laws  were  done  away  with 
when  Our  Lord  came  and  established  His  Church;  because 
their  ceremonies  were  only  the  figures  of  ours.  Their  moral 
laws  remained,  and  Our  Lord  explained  them  and  made  them 
more  perfect.  Therefore  we  keep  the  commandments  and 
moral  laws  as  they  were  always  kept  by  man.  Fifty  days  after 
the  Israelites  left  Egypt  they  came  to  the  foot  of  Mount  Sinai 
(Exodus  xix.).  Here  God  commanded  Moses  to  come  up  into 
the  mountain,  and  in  the  midst  of  fire  and  smoke,  thunder 
and  lightning,  God  spoke  to  him  and  delivered  into  his  hands 
the  ten  commandments  written  on  two  tablets  of  stone. 

Every  day  while  the  Israelites  were  travelling  in  the  desert 
God  sent  them  manna — a  miraculous  food  that  fell  every 
morning.  It  was  white,  and  looked  something  like  fine  rice. 
It  had  any  taste  they  wished  it  to  have.  For  instance,  if  they 
wished  it  to  taste  like  fruit,  it  did  taste  so  to  them;  but  its 
usual  taste  was  like  that  of  flour  and  honey  (Exodus  xvi.). 

I  said  there  is  no  difference  between  the  ten  command- 
ments of  God  and  the  six  commandments  of  the  Church;  and 
there  is  no  difference  as  far  as  the  sin  of  violating  them  is 
concerned.  But  they  differ  in  this:  the  Church  can  change 
the  commandments  it  made  itself,  while  it  cannot  change 
those  that  God  Himself  gave  directly. 

*311  Q.  Which  are  the  Commandments  that  contain 
the  whole  law  of  God  ? 

A.  The  Commandments  which  contain  the  whole  law 
of  God  are  these  two:  first,  thou  shalt  love  the  Lord 
thy  God  with  thy  whole  heart,  with  thy  whole  soul, 
with  thy  whole  strength,  and  with  thy  whole  mind; 
second,  thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself. 

"As  thyself" — that  is,  as  explained  elsewhere,  with  th*> 


286  On  the  Commandments  of  God. 

same  kind,  though  not  necessarily  with  the  same  degree,  of 
love.  First  we  must  love  ourselves  and  do  what  is  essential 
for  our  own  salvation,  because  without  our  co-operation  others 
cannot  save  us,  though  they  may  help  us  by  their  prayers  and 
good  works.  Next  to  ourselves  nature  demands  that  we  love 
those  who  are  related  to  us  in  the  order  of  parents,  children, 
husbands,  wives,  brothers,  etc.,  and  help  them  in  proportion 
to  their  needs,  and  before  helping  strangers  who  are  in  no 
greater  distress. 

*  312  Q.  Why  do  thesb  two  Commandments  of  the 
love  of  God  and  of  our  neighbor  contain  the  whole  law 
of  God  ? 

A.  These  two  Commandments  of  the  love  of  God 
and  of  our  neighbor  contain  the  whole  law  of  God  be- 
cause all  the  other  Commandments  are  given  either  to 
help  us  to  keep  these  two,  or  to  direct  us  how  to  shun 
what  is  opposed  to  them. 

Of  the  Ten  Commandments  the  first  three  refer  to  Al- 
mighty God  and  the  other  seven  to  our  neighbor.  Thus  all 
the  commandments  may  be  reduced  to  the  two  of  the  love  of 
God  and  of  the  love  of  our  neighbor.  The  first  command- 
ment says  you  shall  worship  only  the  true  God;  the  second 
says  you  shall  respect  His  holy  name;  and  the  third  says  you 
shall  worship  Him  on  a' certain  day.  All  these  are  contained 
therefore  in  this :  Love  God  all  you  possibly  can,  for  if  you  do 
you  will  keep  the  first  three  of  the  commandments.  The 
fourth  says:  Honor  your  father — who  in  the  sense  of  the 
commandment  can  also  be  called  your  neighbor — that  is,  re- 
spect him,  help  him  in  his  needs.  The  fifth  says  do  not  kill 
him;  namely,  your  neighbor.  The  others  say  do  not  rob  him 
of  his  goods;  do  not  tell  lies  about  him;  do  not  wish  unjustly 
to  possess  his  goods  and  do  not  covet  his  wife.  Thus  it  is 
clear  that  the  last  seven  are  all  contained  in  this:  Love  your 
neighbor,  for  if  you  do  you  will  keep  the  last  seven  command- 
ments that  refer  to  him. 


On  the  Commandments  of  God.  287 

Slo  Q,.  Which  are  the  Commandments  of  God? 
A.  The  Commandments  of  God  are  these  ten : 

1.  I  am  the  Lord  thy  God,  Who  brought  thee  out  of  the 
land  of  Egypt,  out  of  the  house  of  bondage.  Thou  shalt 
not  have  strange  gods  before  Me.  Thou  shalt  not  make 
to  thyself  a  graven  thing,  nor  the  likeness  of  any  thing 
that  is  in  heaven  above,  or  in  the  earth  beneath,  nor  ot 
those  things  that  are  in  the  waters  under  the  earth. 
Thou  shalt  not  adore  them,  nor  serve  them. 

2.  Thou  shalt  not  take  the  name  of  the  Lord  thy  God 
in  vain. 

3.  Remember  thou  keep  holy  the  Sabbath  day. 

4.  Honor  thy  father  and  thy  mother. 

5.  Thou  shalt  not  kill. 

6.  Thou  shalt  not  commit  adultery. 

7.  Thou  shalt  not  steal. 

8.  Thou  shalt  not  bear  false  witness  against  thj 
neighbor. 

9.  Thou  shalt  not  covet  thy  neighbor's  wife. 

10.  Thou  shalt  not  covet  thy  neighbor's  goods. 

*  314  Q.  Who  gave  the  Ten  Commandments? 
A.  God   Himself  gave    the   Ton   Commandments    to 
Moses  on  Mount  Sinai,  and  Christ  Our  Lord  confirmed 
them. 


288  On  tlie  First  Commandment, 


LESSON   THIRTIETH. 

ON  THE  FIKST  COMMANDMENT. 

315  Q.  What  is  the  first  Commandment? 
A.  The  first  Commandment  is:    "I  am  the  Lord  thy 
God:  thou  shalt  not  have  strange  gods  before  Me." 

•■*  Strange  gods."  The  Israelites  were  surrounded  on  all 
sides  by  pagan  nations  who  worshipped  idols  and  false  gods, 
and  sometimes  by  mingling  with  these  people  they  fell  into 
sin,  and,  forgetting  the  true  God,  worshipped  their  idols. 
Sometimes,  too,  they  were  at  war  with  these  pagan  nations, 
and  when  defeated  were  led  captive  into  pagan  countries  and 
there  fell  into  the  sin  of  worshipping  false  gods.  It  was 
against  this  sin  that  God  cautioned  His  people  in  the  first 
commandment.  From  this  sin  of  idolatry  among  the  Israel- 
ites we  have  an  example  of  the  evil  results  of  associating  with 
persons  not  of  the  true  religion.  One  would  think  that  the 
Israelites,  knowing  the  true  God,  might  have  converted  their 
pagan  neighbors  to  the  true  religion  by  the  influence  of  their 
teaching  and  example;  but,  on  the  contrary,  they  lost  the  true 
faith  tliemselves,  as  nearly  always  happens  in  such  cases. 
How  do  we  sometimes  worship  false  or  strange  gods  ?  By 
making  dress,  money,  honor,  society,  company,  or  pleasure 
our  god — that  is,  by  giving  up  the  worship  of  God  and  sin- 
ning for  their  sake,  and  thus  making  them  god,  at  least  for 
the  time  being,  by  giving  them  our  heart,  mind,  and  service. 

"316  Q.  How  does  the  first  Commandment  help  us  to 
keep  the  great  Commandment  of  the  love  of  God  ? 

A.  The  first  Commandment  helps  us  to  keep  the 
great  Commandment  of  the  love  of  God  because  it  com- 
mands us  to  aaore  God  alone- 


On  the  First  Ccmmandment,  289 

817  Q.  How  do  we  adore  God? 

A.  We  adore  God  by  faith,  hope,  and  charity,  by 
prayer  and  sacrifice. 

818  Q.  How  may  the  first  Commandn-ent  be  broken? 
A.  The  first  Commandment  may  be  broken  by  giving 

to  a  creature  the  honor  which  belongs  to  God  alone;  by 
false  worship ;  and  by  attributing  to  a  creature  a  per- 
fection which  belongs  to  God  alone. 

"  Creature '*— that  is,  an ytliing  created;  anything  but  God 
Himself;  for  all  other  persons  and  things  have  been  created. 
If  one  knelt  before  a  king  and  adored  him,  he  would  be  giv- 
ing to  a  creature  the  honor  due  to  God  alone.  "  False  wor- 
ship"— that  is,  worshipping  God  not  as  He  directs  us  by  His 
Church,  but  in  some  way  pleasing  to  ourselves.  For  example, 
to  sacrifice  animals  to  God  would  now  be  false  worship;  tc 
offer  now  any  of  the  sacrifices  commanded  in  the  Old  Law 
would  be  false  worship,  because  all  these  were  figures  of  tha 
real  sacrifice  of  the  cross  and  Mass,  and  were  to  put  the  peo- 
ple in  mind  that  one  day  Christ  the  promised  Redeemer  would 
offer  up  the  one  great  sacrifice  of  His  own  body  and  blood  to 
blot  out  all  the  sins  of  the  world.  And  now  that  we  have  the 
real  sacrifice  it  would  be  sinful  to  use  only  fig^.ires,  and  it 
would  be  a  false  worship  displeasing  to  God.  So,  too,  all 
those  who  leave  the  true  Church  to  practise  a  religion  of  their 
cwn  have  a  false  worship,  for  they  worship  God  not  as  He 
wishes,  but  as  they  wish. 

Heaven  is  a  reward,  and  when  we  see  how  the  saints 
labored  to  secure  it  we  must  be  ashamed  of  the  little  we  do 
for  God.  Take  out  of  a  whole  year — that  is,  365  days  or 
8,760  hours — the  time  you  give  to  the  service  of  God,  and  you 
will  find  it  very  little.  Even  the  time  you  spent  at  Mass  and 
prayers  was  filled  with  distraction  and  little  of  it  entirely 
given  to  God.  Since  this  is  true  for  one  year,  what  will  it  be 
for  all  the  years  of  your  life?  Think  of  them  all  and  you  will 
l^-^vceive  that  God,  Who  gave  you  all  the  time  you  had,  and 
vVho  -an  the  last  day  will  demand  an  exact   account  of  it, 


290  On  the  First  Commaiidment. 

will  find  very  little  of  it  spent  in  His  honor  or  in  His  service. 
Even  the  time  wasted  in  school  and  instructions  will  all 
stand  against  you.  Time  lost  is  lost  forever,  and  you  can 
never  make  it  up.  Next  to  grace,  time  is  the  most  valuable 
thing  God  gives  us,  and  we  should  use  it  well.  "  Attributing 
to  a  creature  a  perfection,"  etc.  Persons  who  go  to  fortune- 
tellers do  this.  Fortune-tellers  are  persons  who  pretend  to 
know  what  is  going  to  happen  in  the  future.  We  know  from 
our  religion  that  only  God  Himself  knows  the  future. 
Neither  the  angels  nor  saints,  nor  even  the  Blessed  Virgin, 
know  the  future.  Even  they  could  not  tell  your  fortune  un- 
less God  revealed  it  to  them.  So  when  you  go  to  a  fortune- 
teller you  place  the  poor  sinful  person  who  is  doing  the  devil's 
work  above  the  Blessed  Virgin  and  all  the  saints  and  angels, 
and  make  that  wretch  equal  to  God  Himself.  Surely  this  is 
a  sin,  even  if  you  do  not  believe  these  so-called  fortune- 
tellers, but  go  to  them  merely  through  curiosity  or  with 
others.  Again,  we  pay  these  persons  for  telling  us  some 
foolish  nonsense,  and  thus  encourage  them  to  continue  their 
sinful  business.  They  doubtless  laugh  at  the  foolishness  of 
those  who  go  to  them  or  believe  what  they  say,  and  pay  them 
generously.  You  might  with  as  much  sense  stop  a  man  on 
the  street,  ask  him  to  tell  your  fortune,  and  hand  him  your 
money,  for  he  would  know  as  much  about  it  as  so-called  for- 
tune-tellers do.  Rarely  these  sinful  people  might  tell  you 
something  that  has  happened  in  your  life;  but  if  they  do, 
they  merely  guess  at  it  or  are  aided  by  the  devil.  The 
devil  did  not  lose  his  intelligence  when  driven  out  of  heaven, 
and  he  uses  it  now  for  doing  evil.  He  has  vast  experience, 
for  he  is  as  old  as  Adam,  or  older,  and  has  seen  and  known 
all  the  men  that  have  lived  in  the  world.  He  can  move 
rapidly  through  the  world  and  easily  know  what  is  visi- 
bly taking  place,  so  that,  strictly  speaking,  he  could  make 
known  to  his  sinful  agents  what  is  present  or  past,  but  never 
the  future.  Thus  some  fortune-tellers,  clairvoyants,  mind- 
reader<5,  mediums,  or  whatever  else  they  call  themselves,  who 
^•e  truly  in  league  with  th^  devil,  may  by  his  power  tell  you 


On  the  First  Commandments  291 

the  past  01  your  life  to  make  you  believe  that  they  know  also 
the  future.  The  past  and  present  in  your  life  you  already 
know,  and  the  future  they  cannot  tell  ;  therefore  it  is  useless 
as  well  as  sinful  to  go  to  them.  I  say  only  it  is  possible  for 
some  fortune-tellers  to  employ  the  assistance  of  the  devil,  for 
all  of  them,  with  very  rare  exception,  are  clever  impostors 
who  take  your  money  for  guessing  at  what  they  suspect  you 
will  be  most  pleased  to  hear. 

*  319  Q.  Do  those  who  make  use  of  spells  and  charms, 
or  who  believe  in.  dreams,  in  mediums,  spiritists,  fortune- 
tellers, and  the  like,  sin  against  the  first  Command- 
ment? 

A.  Those  who  make  use  of  spells  and  charms,  or 
who  believe  in  dreams,  in  mediums,  spiritists,  fortune- 
tellers, and  the  like,  sin  against  the  first  Commandment, 
because  they  attribute  to  creatiires  perfections  which 
belong  to  God  alone. 

"  Spells  "  are  certain  words,  the  saying  of  which  persons 
believe  will  effect  for  them  something  wondei-ful — a  miracu- 
lous cure,  for  instance,  or  protection  from  some  evil. 
**  Charms  "  are  articles  worn  about  the  body  for  the  same  pur- 
pose. They  may  be  little  black  beans,  little  stones  of  a  certain 
shape,  the  teeth  of  animals,  etc.  In  uncivilized  countries 
the  inhabitants  use  many  of  these  charms.  But  you  may  ask, 
Are  not  these  medals,  scapulars,  etc.,  that  we  wear,  also 
charms  ?  No.  These  things  are  blessed  and  worn  in  honor 
of  God,  of  His  blessed  Mother,  or  of  the  saints.  We  do  not 
expect  any  help  from  the  little  piece  of  brass  or  cloth  we 
wear,  but  from  those  in  whose  honor  we  wear  it,  and  from  the 
prayers  said  in  the  blessing  for  those  who  wear  it.  But  they 
who  wear  charms  expect  the  help  from  the  thing  itself,  which 
makes  their  conduct  foolish  and  sinful,  since  God  alone  can 
protect  from  evil.  Again,  such  things  as  medals,  crosses,  and 
scapulars  are  blessed  by  the  Church  and  worn  by  its  consent, 
and  it  could  never  allow  all  its  children  to  do  a  sinful 
thing.     It  is  good  and  praiseworthy,  therefore,  to  wear  the 


292  On  the  Firsi  Commandment 

blesseu  rfacramentals  in  God's  honor;  but  even  with  these  holy 
things  we  mnst  he  careful  not  to  go  too  far.  It  is  true  tlu» 
Blessed  Yiigin  will  protect  those  who  wear  her  scapular;  but 
it  would  be  sinful  wilfully  to  expose  ourselves  to  danger  with- 
out any  necessity,  because  we  wear  a  scapular.  Tlius  it  would 
be  suicide  for  a  boy  who  could  not  swim  to  plunge  into  deej 
water  because,  having  his  scapulars  on,  the  Blessed  Virgin 
ought  to  save  him  by  a  miracle.  Again,  it  is  wrong  to  lock 
for  miracles  from  God  when  natural  help  will  answer.  Thus 
it  would  be  wrong  for  a  man  who  broke  his  leg  to  refuse  to 
have  the  doctors  set  it,  because  he  wanted  God  alone  to  heal 
it.  ** Dreams'^  are  caused  by  the  mind  being  at  work  while 
the  "body  is  sleeping  or  at  rest.  The  mind  never  sleeps;  it  is 
always  awake  and  working.  Thus  when  we  are  asleep  the 
imagination,  without  the  reason  to  guide  it,  mixes  together  a 
number  of  things  we  have  seen,  heard,  or  thought  of,  and 
gives  us  strange  scenes  and  pictures.  Sometimes  what  we 
dream  of  seems  to  happen;  but  that  is  only  because  we 
dream  so  much  that  it  would  be  strange  if  none  of  the 
things  ever  happened.  We  will  generally  dream  about  what- 
ever was  on  our  mind  shortly  before.  We  read  in  the  Hcly 
Scriptures  that  God  at  times  made  known  His  will  to  certain 
persons  by  dreams;  as  when  the  king  of  Egypt  dreamt  of  the 
great  famine  that  was  to  come;  or  when  the  angel  appeared 
in  sleep  to  St.  Joseph,  telling  him  to  take  Our  Lord  into  Egypt, 
where  Herod  the  king  could  not  kill  him  (Matt.  ii.). 

The  dreams  mentioned  in  the  Holy  Scripture  were  more 
frequently  visions  than  dreams.  In  a  vision  the  things  we 
see  are  really  present,  whereas  in  dreams  they  are  not,  but  we 
imagine  they  are.  God  no  longer  makes  use  of  dreams  as  a 
means  of  communicating  with  His  creatures,  because  His 
Church  will  make  known  to  us  His  will.  He  sometimes, 
however,  makes  known  certain  things  to  His  holy  servants 
on  earth  in  a  very  special  and  private  manner:  as,  for  example, 
when  Our  Lord  appeared  to  Blessed  Margaret  Mary  and  told 
her  He  would  like  to  have  the  devotion  to  the  Sacred  Heart 
established.    We  must  always  believe  what  the  Church  tells 


On  the  First  Commandment  293 

ns  God  has  made  known  to  it;  but  when  holy  people  tell 
us  that  God  revealed  special  things  to  them,  we  are  not 
obliged  to  believe  what  they  say,  unless  the  Church  confirms 
it.  I  say  we  are  not  obliged — that  is,  we  may  if  we  please; 
but  we  would  not  be  heretics  and  commit  sin  if  we  did  not 
believe  all  the  revelations  and  wonderful  things  we  find  re- 
corded in  the  lives  of  saints,  though  they  may  all  be  truCc 
'*  Mediums  and  spiritists"  are  persons  who  pretend  they  can 
talk  with  the  dead  in  the  other  world,  and  learn  where  they 
are  and  what  they  are  doing.  They  have  figures  to  move  and 
apparently  speak,  and  other  contrivances  to  deceive  those  who 
confide  in  them.  Their  work  is  all  deception  and  very  sinful. 
If  any  of  these  things  could  be  done,  or  if  God  wished  them 
to  be  known.  He  would  give  the  power  to  the  Church  founded 
by  His  divine  Son,  and  not  to  a  few  sinful  men  or  women 
here  and  there.  After  a  soul  leaves  the  body  its  fate  is 
hidden  from  us,  and  we  can  say  nothing  with  absplute  cer- 
tainty of  its  reward  or  punishment.  No  one  ever  came  back 
from  the  other  world  to  give  a  minute  account  of  its  general 
appearance  or  of  what  takes  place  there.  All  that  is  known 
about  it  the  Church  knows  and  tells  us,  and  all  over  and 
above  that  is  false  or  doubtful.  By  thinking  a  little  you  can 
see  how  all  these  dealings  with  fortunp-Mlers,  etc.,  are  giving 
to  creatures  what  beloiigs  to  God  alone. 

320  Q.  Are  sins  against  faith,  hope,  and  charity  also 
3ins  against  the  first  Commandment? 

A.  Sins  against  faith,  hope,  and  charity  are  also  sins 
against  the  first  Commandment. 

321  Q.  How  does  a  person  sin  against  faith? 

A.  A  person  sins  against  faith,  first,  by  not  trying  to 
know  what  God  has  taught;  second,  by  refusing  to  be- 
lieve all  that  God  has  taught;  third,  by  neglecting  to 
profess  his  belief  in  what  God  has  taught. 

"Not  trying  to  know."     Thus  children  who  idle  their 
time  at  Sunday-school  or  religious  instruction,  and  do  not 


294  On  the  First  Oommandmeni. 

learn  their  Catechism,  sin  against  faith  in  the  first  way.  In 
like  manner  grown  persons  who  do  not  sometime  or  other  en- 
deavor to  hear  sermons  or  instructions,  to  attend  missions  or 
learn  from  good  books,  sin  against  faith.  "Refusing  to 
believe,*'  as  all  those  do  who  leave  the  true  religion,  or  who, 
knowing  it,  do  not  embrace  it.  *'  Neglecting  to  profess."  We. 
may  do  this  by  not  living  up  to  the  practice  of  our  holy  re- 
ligion. We  believe,  for  example,  we  should  hear  Mass  every 
Sunday  and  holy-day;  we  should  receive  the  sacraments  at 
certain  times  in  the  year ;  but  if  we  only  believe  these  things 
and  do  not  do  them,  we  neglect  to  profess  our  faith ;  neglect  to 
show  others  that  we  really  believe  all  the  Church  teaches,  and 
are  anxious  to  practise  it.  Many  know  and  believe  what  they 
should  do,  but  never  practise  it.  Such  persons  do  great  injury 
to  the  Church,  for  persons  who  do  not  live  up  to  their  holy 
religion  but  act  contrary  to  its  teaching  give  scandal  to  their 
neighbor.  How  many  persons  at  present  not  Catholics 
would  be  induced  to  enter  the  true  Chuich  if  they  saw  all 
Catholics  virtuous,  truthful,  sober,  honest,  upright,  and  indus- 
trious !  But  when  they  see  Catholics — be  they  ever  so  few — 
cursing,  quarrelling,  backbiting,  drinking,  lying,  stealing, 
cheating,  etc. — in  a  word,  indulging  in  the  same  vices  as  those 
who  claim  to  have  no  religion,  what  must  they  think  of  the 
moral  influence  of  Catholic  faith  ?  Thus  they  do  great  in- 
justice to  the  Church  and  the  cause  of  religion,  and  are  work- 
ing against  our  blessed  Lord  when  they  should  be  working 
for  Him. 

The  Christian  religion  spread  very  rapidly  through  the 
«rorld  in  the  first  ages  of  its  existence;  and  one  of  the  chief 
reasons  was  the  good  example  given  by  the  Christians;  for 
pagans  seeing  the  holy  lives,  the  kindness  and  charity  of  their 
Christian  neighbors,  could  not  help  admiring  and  loving  them, 
and  wishing  to  be  members  of  the  Church  that  made  them  so 
good  and  amiable.  How  many  pagans  do  you  think  would 
be  converted  nowadays  by  the  lives  of  some  who  call  them- 
selves CatJ^olics  ?     Not   many,  I  think.     Besides  this,  the 


On  the  First  Commandment.  295 

early  Christians  really  labored  to  instruct  others  in  the  Chris- 
tian religion,  and  to  make  them  converts.  Often  we  find  serv- 
ants— even  slaves — by  their  instructions  converting  their 
pagan  masters  and  mistresses.  They  all  felt  that  they  were 
missionaries  working  for  Jesus  Christ,  and  their  influence 
reached  whore  the  priest's  influence  could  not  reach,  because 
they  came  in  contact  with  persons  the  priests  never  had  an 
spportunity  of  seeing.  If  all  Catholics  had  the  same  spirit, 
what  good  they  could  do  !  Their  business  or  duty  may  often 
bring  them  into  daily  intercourse  with  persons  not  of  their 
faitli,  and  who  never  knew  or  perhaps  heard  any  of  the  beau- 
tiful truths  of  our  holy  religion.  Yes,  Catholics  could  do 
much  good  if  they  had  only  the  good  will  and  knew  their  re- 
ligion well.  I  do  not  mean  that  they  should  be  always  dis- 
cussing religion  with  every  one  they  meet.  Let  them  preach 
chiefly  by  the  example  of  their  own  good  lives,  and  when 
questioned  explain  modestly  and  sincerely  the  truths  they 
believe. 

If  you  should  be  asked,  for  instance :  Why  do  you  not  eat 
flesh-meat  on  Friday  ?  you  should  be  able  to  answer:  ''Be- 
cause I  am  a  Christian  and  wish  to  keep  always  before  my 
mind  how  our  blessed  Lord  suffered  for  me  in  His  holy  flesh 
on  that  day;  and  anyone  who  claims  to  be  a  Christian,  ought^ 
I  think,  to  be  glad  to  do  what  reminds  him  so  regularly  and 
well  of  Our  Lord's  passion."  Such  an  answer  if  given  kindly 
and  mildly  would  silence  and  instruct  your  adversary;  it 
might  make  him  reflect,  and  might,  in  time,  bring  him  to  the 
true  religion.  Sometimes  a  few  words  make  a  great  impres* 
sion  and  bring  about  conversion.  St.  Francis  Xavier  was  a 
worldly  young  man,  learned  and  ambitious,  and  he  heard  from 
St.  Ignatius  these  words  of  Our  Lord:  ""What  doth  it  profit 
a  man  if  he  gain  the  whole  world  and  suffer  the  loss  of  his 
own  soul  ?"  He  went  home  and  kept  thinking  of  them  till 
they  impressed  him  so  strongly  that  he  gave  up  the  world, 
became  a  priest  and  by  his  labors  and  preaching  in  India, 
converted  to  the  true  religion  many  thousand  pagans.  In 
the  lives  of  the  saints  there  are  many  examples  of  a  few 


296  On  the  First  Commandment. 

words,  by  God's  grace,  bringing  men  from  a  life  of  sin  to  a 
life  of  great  holiness. 

*  322  Q.  How  do  we  fail  to  try  to  know  what  God  has 
taught? 

A.  We  fail  to  try  to  know  what  God  has  taught  by 
neglecting  to  learn  the  Christian  doctrine. 

*  323  Q.  Who  are  they  who  do  not  believe  all  that 
God  has  taught? 

A.  They  who  do  not  believe  all  that  God  has  taught 
are  the  heretics  and  infidels. 

There  are  many  kinds  of  unbelievers:  atheists,  deists, 
infidels,  heretics,  apostates,  and  scliismatics.  An  atheist  is 
one  who  denies  the  existence  of  God,  saying  there  is  no  God. 
A  deist  is  one  who  says  he  believes  that  God  exists,  but  de- 
nies that  God  ever  revealed  any  religion.  These  are  also 
called  freethinkers.  An  infidel  properly  means  one  who  has 
never  been  baptized — one  who  is  not  of  the  number  of  the 
faithful;  that  is,  those  believing  in  Christ.  Sometimes 
atheists  are  called  infidels.  Heretics  are  those  who  were  bap- 
tized and  who  claim  to  be  Christians,  but  do  not  believe  all 
the  truths  that  Our  Lord  has  taught.  They  accept  only  a 
portion  of  the  doctrine  of  Christ  and  reject  the  remainder,  and 
hence  they  become  rebellious  children  of  the  Church.  They 
belong  to  the  true  Church  by  being  baptized,  but  do  not  sub- 
mit to  its  teaching  and  are  therefore  outcast  children,  dis- 
inherited till  they  return  to  the  true  faith.  A  schismatic  is 
one  who  believes  everything  the  Church  teaches,  but  will  not 
submit  to  the  authority  of  its  head — the  Holy  Father.  Such 
persons  do  not  long  remain  only  schismatics;  for  once  they 
rise  up  against  the  authority  of  the  Church,  they  soon  reject 
some  of  its  doctrines  and  thus  become  heretics;  and  indeed, 
since  the  Vatican  Council,  all  schismatics  are  heretics. 

*  324  Q.  Who  are  they  who  neglect  to  profess  their 
belief  in  what  God  has  taught  ? 

A.  They  who  neglect  to  profess  their  belief  in  what 


On  the  First  Commandment,  297 

God  has  taught  are  all  those  who  fail  to  acknowledge 
the  true  Chujch  in  which  they  really  believe. 

There  are  some  outside  the  Church  who  feel  and  believe 
that  the  Catholic  Church  is  the  true  Church,  and  yet  they  do 
not  become  Catholics,  because  there  are  so  many  difficulties 
in  the  way.  For  example,  they  have  been  brought  up  in  an- 
other religion,  and  all  their  friends,  relatives,  or  associates  are 
opposed  to  the  Catholic  religion.  Their  business,  their  social 
life,  their  worldly  interests  will  all  suffer  if  they  become 
Catholics.  So,  although  they  feel  they  should  at  once  em- 
brace the  true  religion,  they  keep  putting  off  till  death  comes 
und  finds  them  outside  the  Church — and  most  probably  guilty 
of  other  mortal  sins.  Such  persons  cannot  be  saved,  for  they 
reject  all  the  graces  God  bestows  upon  them.  A  very  common 
I'ault  with  such  people  is  to  excuse  this  conduct  by  saying: 
Oh!  I  was  brought  up  in  the  Protestant  religion,  and  every 
one  ought  to  live  in  the  religion  in  which  he  was  brought  up. 
Let  me  ask:  If  persons  were  brought  up  with  some  bodily 
deformity  that  their  parents  neglected  to  have  remedied  while 
they  were  young,  would  they  not  use  every  means  themselves 
to  have  the  deformity  removed  as  soon  as  they  became  old 
enough  to  see  and  understand  their  misfortune  ?  In  like 
manner,  if  unfortunately  parents  bring  up  their  children  in 
a  false  religion,  that  is,  with  spiritual  deformities,  it  is  the 
duty  of  the  children  to  embrace  the  true  religion  as  soon  as 
they  know  it.  Again  persons  will  say  :  Oh,  I  believe  one 
religion  as  good  as  another;  we  are  all  Christians,  and  all 
trying  to  serve  God.  If  one  religion  is  as  good  as  another, 
why  did  not  Our  Lord  allow  the  old  religions — false  or  true- 
to  remain  ?  If  one  man  says  a  thing  is  black  and  another 
says  it  is  white,  they  CJinnot  both  be  right,  for  a  thing  cannot 
be  black  and  white  at  the  same  time.  Only  one  can  be 
right;  and,  if  we  are  anxious  about  the  color  of  the  object,  we 
must  try  to  find  which  one  is  right.  Just  in  the  same  way 
all  the  religions  that  claim  to  be  Chriiitian  contradict  one 
another;  one  says  a  thing  is  false  and  another  says  it  is  true; 


298  On  the  First  CommaThdmeru;, 

one  says  Our  Lord  taught  so  and  so  and  another  says  He  did 
not.  Now  since  it  is  very  important  for  us  to  know  which  is 
right,  we  must  find  out  which  is  really  the  Church  Our  Lord 
established;  and  when  we  have  found  it  we  will  know  that  all 
the  other  pretended  Christian  religions  must  be  false.  Our 
liord  has  given  us  marks  by  which  we  can  know  His  Church, 
as  we  saw  while  speaking  of  the  marks  of  the  Church ;  and  the 
Roman  Catholic  Church  is  the  only  Church  that  has  all  these 
marks.  We  say  that  we  are  Roman  Catholics  to  show  that 
we  are  in  communion  with  the  Church  of  Rome,  established 
by  St.  Peter,  the  chief  of  the  apostles. 

*  325  Q,.  Can  they  who  fail  to  profess  their  faith  in 
the  true  Church  in  which  they  believe  expect  to  be  saved 
while  in  that  state? 

A.  They  who  fail  to  profess  their  faith  in  the  true 
CJhurch  in  which  they  believe  cannot  expect  to  be  saved 
while  in  that  state,  for  Christ  has  said :  "  Whoever  shall 
deny  Me  before  men,  I  will  also  deny  him  before  My 
Father  Who  is  in  heaven." 

326  Q.  Are  we  obliged  to  make  open  profession  of  our 
faith? 

A.  We  are  obliged  to  make  open  profession  of  our 
faith  as  often  as  God's  honor,  our  neighbor's  spiritual 
good,  or  oxir  own  requires  it.  "  Whosoever,"  says  Christ, 
*'  shall  confess  Me  before  men,  I  will  also  confess  him 
before  My  Father  Who  is  in  heaven." 

It  is  not  necessary  for  us  lo  proclaim  in  the  streets  that 
we  are  Catholics;  neither  need  we  tell  our  religion  to  impu- 
dent people  that  may  ask  us  only  to  insult  us;  but  when  a 
real  need  of  professing  our  faith  presents  itself,  then  we  must 
profess  it.  Suppose  you  are  stopping  in  a  hotel  in  which  you 
are  the  only  Catholic.  If  flesh-meat  is  i)laced  before  you  on 
Friday  you  must  quietly  push  it  aside  and  ask  for  fish  or 
other  food;  although  by  so  doing  you  will  show  that  you  are 
a  Catholic  and  make  a  silent  profession  of  your  faith.  God's 
honor  and  your  own  good  require  it,  for  you  must  keep  the 


On  (he  First  Commandment.  299 

laws  of  God  and  of  His  Church  on  every  possible  occasion. 
Suppose  again  there  were  in  the  same  hotel  some  indifferent 
Catholics,  socially  your  equals  or  inferiors,  who  through 
human  respect  were  ashamed  to  go  to  Mass  on  Sunday;  then 
you  should  publicly  go  to  Mass  and  even  declare  that  you 
must  go,  for' by  so  doing  you  would  encourage  these  indiffer- 
ent Catholics  to  follow  your  example.  In  that  case  your 
neighbor's  good  requires  that  you  profess  your  faith.  In  a 
word,  you  must  keep  up  the  practice  of  your  religion  even  if 
by  so  doing  you  have  to  make  an  open  profession  of  youi 
faith  and  suffer  for  it.  But  suppose  it  is  something  that  God 
or  the  Church  does  not  command  you  to  do  but  only  recom- 
mends, such  as  blessing  yourself  before  meals  or  some  pious 
practice,  you  could  in  public  omit  such  an  action  if  you 
pleased  without  any  sin  or  denial  of  faith,  because  you  violate 
no  law. 

827  Q.  Which  are  the  sins  against  hope? 
A.  The  sins  against  hope  are  presumption  and  de- 
spair. 

328  Q.  What  is  presumption? 

A.  Presumption  is  a  rash  expectation  of  salvation 
-without  making  proper  use  of  the  necessary  means  to 
obtain  it. 

A  person  who  goes  on  leading  a  bad  life,  and  says  when 
warned  r>f  his  danger,  that  he  is  in  no  hurry  to  reform;  that 
he  will  repent  some  day  before  he  dies,  is  always  living  in 
and  coinmitting  the  sin  of  presumption.  It  is  a  great  sin, 
for  it  is  living  in  open  defiance  of  Almighty  God.  Such  per- 
sons are  very  seldom  given  the  opportunity  to  repent  at  the 
last  moment,  and  are,  in  most  cases,  called  to  judgment  when 
they  least  expect  it.  We  are  all  presumptuous  sometimes.  Do 
we  not  often,  when  we  have  fallen  into  a  certain  sin,  easily 
repeat  the  act,  saying  to  ourselves,  now  that  we  will  have  to 
confess  the  sin  committed,  the  mention  of  the  number  of 
times  will  not  make  much  difference  fo»*  '*•  will  not  increasn 


300  On  (he  First  Commandmenf 

on r  shame  and  confusion?  This  is  presumption;  for  we  do 
not  know  whether  God  will  ever  give  us  the  opportunity 
of  making  a  confession.  Again,  one  mortal  sin  is  sufficient 
to  keep  our  souls  in  hell  for  all  eternity;  what  then  will 
be  our  punishment  for  many  mortal  sins?  Then  there  ie 
another  thing  you  should  remember:  God  has  fixed  a  certair 
number  of  sins  that  He  will  suffer  you  to  commit  before 
He  sends  His  punishment.  You  do  not  know  which  sin 
will  complete  the  number  and  be  the  last.  The  very  sin  you 
are  now  about  to  commit  may  be  that  one,  and  the  moment 
you  have  committed  it,  God  will  call  you  to  judgment, 
whether  it  be  night  or  day,  whether  you  are  at  home  or  in 
the  streets — though  perhaps  not  immediately,  but  before  you 
commit  another  sin.  Such  a  thought  alone  should  keep  you 
from  sinning.  Moreover,  after  confession  you  strongly  resist 
the  first  temptation  to  mortal  sin,  but  after  you  have  yieldec 
to  the  first  you  scarcely  make  any  more  resistance,  but  easily 
yield  again  and  again.  You  should  therefore,  to  prevent  this, 
go  to  confession  just  as  soon  as  you  possibly  can  after  falling 
into  mortal  sin.  It  is  bad  enough  to  commit  mortal  sin,  but 
it  is  terrible  to  be  living  in  that  state  day  and  night — alwayi 
an  enemy  of  God — losing  the  merit  of  all  the  works  you  do 
and  yet  you  must  stay  in  that  state  of  sin  till  you  go  to  con 
session  and  receive  absolution.  Peter  the  apostle  committee 
the  sin  of  presumption  (Matt.  xxvi.).  Our  Lord  told  him  t( 
watch  and  pray  for  he  would  be  tempted  and  yield  that  night, 
but  Peter  said:  "  No  Lord,  I  will  never  deny  Thee/*  Instead 
oi  begging  Our  Lord's  help  and  grace,  he  trusted  to  himself 
snd  fell  miserably  into  sin.  He  went  into  dangerous  companj 
and  that  was  another  cause  of  his  fall.  But  afterwards  he 
saw  his  sin  and  folly  and  never  ceased  to  repent  of  it. 

329  Q.  What  is  despair? 

A.  Despair  is  the  loss  of  hope  in  God's  mercy. 

Despair  is  a  sin  because  by  it  you  deny  that  God  is  infi- 
uitelv  merciful — that  He  ie  merciful  enough  to  forgive  even 


On  the  First  Commandmer^,  301 

yonr  many  and  great  sins  if  you  are  truly  sorry  for  them. 
Judas  committed  the  sin  of  despair.  After  he  had  betrayed 
Our  Lord,  he  went  and  hanged  himself,  thus  committing, 
besides  the  sin  of  betraying  his  divine  Master,  two  other  great 
sins;  namely,  despair  in  God's  mercy  and  suicide.  If  he  had 
gone  to  Our  Lord  and  confessed  his  sin,  and  implored  pardon 
and  promised  penance,  can  we  doubt  that  He  would  have  for- 
given even  Judas,  as  He  forgave  Peter,  and  those  that  cruci- 
fied Him,  praying  that  His  Father  might  not  punish  them 
for  their  sins  ?  Therefore,  no  matter  what  sins  you  have  com- 
mitted, never  lose  confidence  in  God's  mercy.  See  how  Our 
Lord  pardoned  the  thief  on  the  cross  and  Mary  Magdalen  and 
other  sinners.  Be  sorry  for  your  sins,  and  God  will  hear  your 
prayers.  Call  upon  the  Blessed  Virgin,  your  patron  saint,  and 
guardian  angel  to  help  you,  and  ask  others,  especially  good 
persons,  to  pray  for  you. 

*  330  Q.  How  do  we  sin  against  the  love  of  God  P 
A.  We  sin  against  the  ^ove  of  God  by  all  sin,  but  par> 
ticalarly  by  mortal  sin. 


302  On  the  Honor  and  Invocation  of  Saints, 


LESSON  THIRTY-FIRST. 

THE  FIRST  COMMANDMENT.— ON  THE  HONC^  AND  INVO 
CATION  OF  SAINTS. 

331  Q.  Does  the  first  Commandment  forbid  the  honor* 
ing  of  the  saints  ? 

A.  The  flxst  Conmiandment  does  not  forbid  the  honor- 
ing of  the  saints,  but  rather  approves  of  it;  because  by 
honoring  the  saints,  who  are  the  chosen  friends  of  God, 
we  honor  God  Himself. 

Think  of  the  many  helps  God  gives  us  to  save  our  souls: 
an  angel  to  be  always  with  us  upon  earth;  a  saint  always 
praying  for  us  in  heaven,  and  besides  these  all  the  graces, 
the  sacraments,  the  Masses,  the  prayers,  etc.  If  then  we 
lose  our  souls,  surely  we  cannot  say,  God  did  not  give  us  suffi- 
cient help.  "  Invocation  "  means  calling  upon  them  to  help 
us.  Every  one  is  pleased  when  his  friends  are  honored.  Who 
is  not  glad  to  near  his  parents  praised  or  see  them  respected  ? 
By  praying  to  the  saints,  instead  of  dishonoring  God — as  Prot 
estants  say  we  do — we  really  honor  Him  more  than  by  pray- 
ing directly  to  Himself.  "We  show  that  we  believe  in  His 
great  dignity.  His  awful  majesty  and  our  own  nothingness. 
If  a  poor  person  wanted  to  obtain  a  favor  from  the  President 
of  the  United  States,  would  he  go  directly  to  the  President 
himself  ?  No.  He  would  find  some  one  who  had  influence 
with  the  President,  and  ask  him  to  obtain  the  favor.  Why, 
the  very  persons  that  say  we  should  not  use  the  influence  of 
saints  do  themselves  use  the  influence  of  others  to  obtain 
favors.  They  never  go  to  an  enemy  of  the  one  from  whom 
they  desire  the  favor,  but  to  some  of  his  friends,  knowing 
that  a  person  will  often  grant  a  favor  for  a  friend's  sake  that 
he  would  not  grant  for  the  sake  of  others.     Now  we  do  e> 


On  the  Honor  and  Invocation  of  Saints.  303 

actly  the  same  when  we  pray  to  the  saints.  They  are  the 
special  friends  of  God.  They  fasted,  prayed,  preached, 
labored,  or  suffered  death  for  His  honor  and  glory.  He  showed 
them  great  favors  while  they  wei-e  upon  earth.  He  performed 
miracles  at  their  request.  Will  He  deny  them  now,  when 
they  are  always  present  with  Him  in  heaven — where  they 
could  not  possibly  sin  ?  He  lov^s  to  grant  them  favors;  and, 
as  they  do  not  need  any  for  themselves.  He  grants  them  for 
others  through  their  intercession.  Again  men  are  honored  by 
the  praises  of  their  fellow-men.  A  great  general  is  honored 
by  having  all  his  countrymen  praise  him  ;  so,  too,  God  wants 
His  saints  honored,  for  their  great  spiritual  deeds,  by  the 
praise  of  the  children  of  the  Church.  God  is  not  annoyed  by 
being  asked  for  favors.  Nothing  can  trouble  Him,  for  all 
is  done  by  an  act  of  His  will.  He  loses  nothing  by  giving,  for 
He  is  infinite.  By  praying  to  the  saints  for  help  we  confess 
that  we  are  too  unworthy  to  present  ourselves  to  God  and 
address  Him — to  come  before  His  awful  Majesty,  and  that  we 
will  wait  here  in  the  humble  attitude  of  prayer  while  you, 
holy  saints,  His  dearest  friends,  go  into  His  presence  and  ask 
for  us  the  favors  and  graces  wo  require. 

332  Q.  Does  the  first  Commandment  forbid  us  to  pray 
to  the  saints? 

A.  The  first  Commandment  does  not  forbid  us  to  pray- 
to  the  saints. 

We  do  not  pray  to  them  as  to  God.  We  never  say  to  them, 
"give  us  this  or  that,"  but  always,  "obtain  it  for  us."  In  all 
the  litanies  you  cannot  fiiid  one  petition  where  we  say,  even 
to  the  Blessed  Virgin:  ''Have  mercy  on  us,"  but,  ''pray  for 
us,"  or,  "  intercede  for  us." 


333  Q.  "What  do  we  mean  by  praying  to  the  saints? 
A.  By  praying  to  the  saints  we  mean  the  asking  o* 
their  help  and  prayers. 


804  On  the  Honor  and  Invocation  of  Sairits. 

*  334  Q,  How  do  we  know  that  the  saints  hear  us  ? 
A.  We  know  that  the  saints  hear  us,  because  they 
are  with  God,  Who  makes  our  prayers  known  to  them. 


*  335  Q.  Why  do  we  believe  that  the  saints  will  help 
us? 

A.  We  believe  that  the  saints  will  help  us  because 
both  they  and  we  are  members  of  the  same  Church,  and 
they  love  us  as  their  brethren. 

*  336  Q.  How  are  the  saints  and  we  members  of  the 
same  Church? 

A.  The  saints  and  we  are  members  of  the  same 
Church,  because  the  Church  in  heaven  and  the  Church 
on  earth  are  one  and  the  same  Church,  and  all  its  mem- 
bers are  in  communion  with  one  another. 

*  337  Q.  What  is  the  communion  of  the  members  of 
the  Church  called? 

The  communion  of  the  members  of  the  Church  is 
called  the  communion  of  saints. 

*  338  Q.  What  does  the  communion  of  saints  mean? 
A.  The  communion  of  saints  means  the  union  which 

exists  between  the  members  of  the  Church  on  earth 
with  one  another  and  with  the  blessed  in  heaven  and 
with  the  suffering  souls  in  purgatory. 

*  339  Q.  What   benefits   are   derived  firom    the    com- 
munion of  saints  ? 

A.  Tho  following  benefits  are  derived  from  the  com- 
munion of  saints:  the  faithful  on  earth  assist  one  an- 
other by  their  prayers  and  good  works,  and  they  are 
aided  by  the  intercession  of  the  saints  in  heaven,  while 
both  the  saints  in  heaven  and  the  faithful  on  earth  help 
the  souls  in  purgatory. 

340  Q.  Does   the    first    Commandment    forbid    us    to 
honor  relics? 

A.  The   first    Commandment   does  not    forbid    us  to 


On  the  Honor  and  Invocation  of  Saints.  305 

honor  relics,  because  relics  are  the  bodies  of  the  saints 
or  objects  directly  connected  with  them  or  with  Our 
Lord. 


"Relic**  means  a  thing  left.  Eelics  are  pieces  of  the  body 
— bones,  etc.  Pieces  of  saints'  clothing,  writing,  etc.,  are  also 
called  relics.  Pieces  of  the  true  cross,  the  nails  that  pierced 
Christ's  hands,  etc.,  are  relics  of  Our  Lord's  passion.  We 
have  no  relic  of  Our  Lord's  body,  because  He  took  it  into 
heaven  with  Him  when  He  ascended.  All  relics  of  the 
saints  must  be  examined  at  Rome,  by  those  whom  the  Holy 
lather  has  appointed  for  that  work.  They  must  be  marked 
and  accompanied  by  the  testimony  of  the  Cardinals,  or  others 
who  examined  them,  to  show  that  they  are  true  relics.  It 
would  be  superstitious  to  use  anything  as  a  relic  unless  we 
were  sure  of  its  being  genuine. 

341  Q.  Does  the  first  Commandment  forbid  the  mak- 
ing of  images  ? 

A.  The  first  Commandment  does  forbid  the  making  of 
images  if  they  are  made  to  be  adored  as  gods,  but  it 
does  not  forbid  the  making  of  them  to  put  us  in  mind 
of  Jesus  Christ,  His  Blessed  Mother,  and  the  saints. 

Protestants  and  others  say  that  Catholics  break  the  first 
commandment  by  having  images  in  their  churches,  because 
the  first  commandment  says:  **Thou  shalt  not  make  graven 
images  or  the  likeness  of  anything  upon  the  earth,"  etc.  Now, 
if  that  is  exactly  what  the  commandment  means,  then  they 
break  it  also,  because  they  make  the  images  of  generals, 
statesmen,  writers,  etc.,  and  place  them  in  their  parks.  They 
also  take  photographs  of  their  relatives  and  friends  and  hang 
them  on  the  walls  of  their  homes.  They  do  this,  they  say, 
and  we  believe  them,  to  show  their  respect  and  veneration 
for  the  persons  represented,  and  not  to  worship  their  images. 
Now  we  do  no  more.     We  simple  i-'i'^ce  in  our  churches  the 


306  On  the  Honor  and  Invocation  of  Saints. 

images  of  saints  to  show  our  respect  and  veneration  for  the 
persons  they  represent,  and  not  to  worship  the  images  them- 
selves. So  if  we  break  the  first  commandment,  they  who 
make  any  picture  or  statue  break  it  also.  Can  our  accusers 
not  see  that  they  and  every  citizen  do  tlie  very  thing  for 
which  they  reproach  us?  On  Decoration  Day  they  place 
flowers  around  the  statue  of  Washington  and  other  great 
men.  Does  any  one  believe  that  they  are  trying  to  honor  the 
piece  of  metal  or  stone,  or  that  the  metal  or  stone  statue 
knows  that  it  is  being  honored  ?  Certainly  not.  They  do  so 
to  honor  Washington  or  whomsoever  the  statue  represents ; 
and  for  the  same  reason  Catholics  place  flowers  and  lights 
around  the  statues  and  images  of  saints.  Every  child  knows 
that  the  wood  in  the  statue  might  as  well  have  been  a  pillar 
in  the  Church,  and  that  its  selection  for  a  statue  was  merely 
accidental,  and  hence  he  knows  that  the  statue  cannot  hear 
or  see  him,  and  so  he  prays  not  to  the  statue  but  to  the  per- 
son it  represents.  Again  if  you  can  offer  a  person  insult  by 
dishonoring  his  image,  may  we  not  honor  him  by  treating  it 
with  respect?  What  greater  insult,  for  instance,  could  be 
offered  to  your  deceased  father  and  yourself  than  to  burn  him 
in  effigy,  or  contemptuously  trample  his  picture  under  foot 
in  your  presence  ?  Thus  they  who  treat  the  images  of  Christ 
or  His  saints  with  disrespect  dishonor  Christ  and  His  saints. 

Again  we  may  learn  our  religion  by  our  sight  as  well  as  by 
our  hearing,  and  may  be  led  by  these  visible  objects  to  a 
knowledge  of  the  invisible  things  they  represent.  Let  us 
take  an  example.  A  poor  ignorant  man  enters  a  Catholic 
church,  and  sees  hanging  there  a  picture  of  St.  Vincent  de 
Paul.  He  can  leavn  the  life  of  the  saint  from  that  picture 
almost  as  well  as  if  he  read  it  in  a  book.  He  sees  the  saint 
dressed  in  a  cassock,  and  that  tells  him  St.  Vincent  was  a 
priest.  He  sees  him  surrounded  by  little  ragged  children 
and  holding  some  of  them  in  his  arms;  that  tells  him  the 
saint  took  care  of  poor  children  and  orphans,  and  founded 
^omes  and  asylums  for  them.    He  sees  on  the  saint's  table  a 


On  the  Honor  and  Invocation  of  Saints.  307 

numan  skull,  and  that  tells  Lim  St.  Vincent  frequently  medi- 
tated upon  death  and  what  follows  it.  He  sees  beside  the 
skull  a  little  lash  or  whip,  and  that  tells  him  the  Saint  was  a 
man  who  practised  penance  and  mortification.  Thus  you 
have  another  reason  why  the  true  Church  is  very  properly 
called  Catholic;  because  its  teaching  suits  all  classes  of  per- 
sons. The  ignorant  can  know  what  it  teaches  as  vvell  as  the 
learned;  for  if  thL>y  cannot  read  tliey  can  listen  to  its  priests, 
watch  its  ceremonies,  and  study  its  pictures,  by  all  of  which 
it  teaches.  The  Protestant  religion,  on  the  contrary,  is  not 
adapted  to  the  needs  of  every  diss,  for  it  teaches  that  all 
must  find  their  doctrines  in  the  Bible,  and  understand  them 
according  to  their  lights,  giving  their  own  interpretation  to 
the  passages  of  the  sacred  text;  and  thus  we  come  to  have  a 
variety  of  Protestant  denominations,  all  claiming  the  Bible 
for  their  guide,  though  following  different  paths.  If  every 
Protestant  has  the  right  to  take  his  own  meaning  out  of  the 
Holy  Scripture,  what  right  have  Protestant  ministers  to 
preach  the  meaning  they  have  found,  and  compel  others  to 
accept  it?  The  Bible  alone  is  not  sufficient.  It  must  be 
explained  by  the  Church  that  teaches  us  also  the  traditions 
that  have  come  down  to  us  from  the  apostles.  If  the  Bible 
alone  were  the  rule  of  our  faith,  what  would  become  of  all 
those  who  could  not  read  the  Bible?  What  would  become  of 
thosj  who  lived  before  the  apostles  wrote  the  New  Testa- 
ment? for  they  did  not  write  in  the  first  years  of  their  minis- 
try, neither  did  they  commit  to  writing  all  the  truths  they 
taught,  because  Our  Lord  did  not  command  them  to  write, 
but  to  preach,  and  He  Himself  never  wrote  any  of  His  doc- 
trines. Again  Catliolics  are  accused  of  superstition  for  keep- 
ing the  relics  of  saints.  Yet  when  General  Grant  died  and 
was  buried  in  New  York,  many  citizens  of  every  denomina- 
tion, anxious  to  have  a  relic  of  the  great  man  they  loved  and 
admired,  secured,  even  at  a  cost,  small  pieces  of  wood  from 
his  house,  of  cloth  from  his  funeral  car,  a  few  leaves  or  a 
little  sand  from  his  tomb.     Now,  jf  it  was  not  superstition,  to 


308  On  the  Honor  and  Invocation  of  Saints, 

keep  these  relics,  why  should  it  be  superstition  to  keep  th* 
relics  of  the  saints  ? 

Even  God  Himself  honored  the  relics  of  saints,  for  He 
has  often  performed  or  granted  miracles  through  their  use. 
We  read  in  the  Bible  (4  Kings  xiii.  21)— and  it  is  the 
word  of  God — that  once  some  persons  who  were  burying  a 
lead  man,  seeing  their  enemies  coming  upon  them,  hastily 
:;a8t  the  body  into  a  tomb  and  fled.  It  was  the  tomb  of  the 
holy  prophet  Eliseus,  and  when  the  dead  body  touched  the 
bones  of  this  great  servant  of  God,  the  dead  man  came  to  life 
and  stood  erect.  Here  is  at  least  one  miracle  that  God  per- 
formed through  the  relics  of  a  saint. 

God  does  not  forbid  the  mere  making  of  images,  but  only 
the  making  of  them  as  gods.  He  gave  the  commandments  to 
Moses  and  afterwards  told  him  to  make  images;  namely, 
angels  of  gold  for  the  temple  (Exodus  xxv.  18).  Now,  God 
does  not  change  His  mind  or  contradict  Himself  as  men  do. 
Whatever  He  does  is  done  forever.  Therefore  if  He  com- 
manded Moses  by  the  first  commandment  not  to  make  any 
images.  He  could  not  tell  him  later  to  make  some.  It  is  not 
the  mere  making,  therefore,  that  God  forbids,  but  Hie 
adoring.  What  He  insists  upon  is :  "  You  shall  not  adore 
or  serve  the  images  you  make."  This  is  very  clear  if  we  con- 
sider the  history  of  the  Israelites,  to  whom  God  first  gave  the 
law.  They  were  the  only  nation  in  the  whole  world  that 
knew  and  worshipped  the  true  God,  and  often,  as  I  told  you, 
they  fell  into  idolatry  and  really  worshipped  images.  When 
Moses  delayed  on  the  mountain  with  God,  and  they  thought 
he  was  not  coming  back,  they  made  a  golden  calf  and  adored 
it  as  a  god  (Exodus  xxxii). 

The  Israelites  fell  into  idolatry  chiefly  by  associating  with 
persons  not  of  the  true  religion.  Let  us  learn  from  their  sins 
never  to  run  the  risk  of  weakening  or  losing  our  faith  by 
making  bosom  friends  and  steady  companions  of  those  not  of 
the  true  religion  or  of  no  religion  at  all.  You  are  not,  how- 
ever, to  treat  any  person  with  contempt  or  to  despise  any  one. 


On  the.  Honor  and  Invocation  of  Saints.  309 

but  to  look  upon  all  as  the  children  of  God,  and  pray  for  thosO 
not  of  the  true  religion,  that  they  may  be  converted  and  saved. 

342  Q.  Is  it  right  to  show  respect  to  the  pictures  and 
images  of  Christ  and  His  saints  ? 

A.  It  is  right  to  show  respect  to  the  pictures  and  im. 
ages  of  Christ  and  His  saints,  because  they  are  the 
representations  and  memorials  of  them. 

343  Q.  Is  it  allowed  to  pray  to  the  crucifix  or  to  the 
images  and  relics  of  the  saints  ? 

A.  It  is  not  allowed  to  pray  to  the  crucifix  or  images 
and  relics  of  the  saints,  for  they  have  no  life,  nor  power 
to  help  us,  nor  sense  to  hear  us. 

344  Q.  Why  do  we  pray  before  the  crucifix  and  the 
images  and  relics  of  the  saints? 

A.  We  pray  before  the  crucifix  and  the  images  and 
relics  of  the  saints  because  they  enliven  our  devotion 
by  exciting  pious  aflTections  and  desires,  and  by  remind- 
ing us  of  Christ  and  of  the  saints,  that  we  may  imitate 
their  virtues. 


310      From  the  Second  to  the  Fourth  Commandment, 


LESSON  THIETY-SECOND. 
FROM  THE  SECOND  TO  THE  FOURTH  COMMANDMENl. 

345  Q.  What  is  the  second  Commandment  P 

A.  The  second  Commandment  is:  Thou  shalt  not  take 
the  name  of  the  Lord  thy  God  in  vain. 

** In  vain"— that  is,  without  necessity. 

346  Q.  What  are  we  commanded  by  the  second  Com- 
mandment P 

A.  We  are  commanded  by  the  second  Commandment 
to  speak  with  reverence  of  God  and  of  the  saints,  and 
of  all  holy  things,  and  to  keep  our  lawful  oaths  and 
vows. 

A  very  common  sin  against  this  commandment  is  to  use 
the  words  and  sayings  of  Holy  Scripture  in  a  worldly  or  bad 
sense.  The  Church  forbids  us  to  use  the  words  and  sayings 
of  Holy  Scripture  to  convey  any  meaning  but  the  one  God 
intended  them  to  convey,  or  at  least  to  use  them  in  any  but 
a  sacred  sense. 

347  Q.  What  is  an  oathP 

A.  An  oath  is  the  calling  upon  God  to  witness  the 
truth  of  what  we  say. 

We  declare  a  thing  to  be  so  or  not,  and  call  God  to  be  our 
witness  that  we  are  speaking  truly.  This  is  one  of  the  most 
solemn  acts  that  men  can  perform  in  the  presence  of  their 
fellow-men.  All  the  nations  of  the  earth  regard  an  oath  as  a 
most  sacred  thing,  and  one  who  swears  falsely  is  the  vilest  of 
men — a  perjurer.  God  is  infinite  truth  and  hates  lies.  What 
afrighttul  thinsr  thpn  f.o  call  Him  to  sanction  a  liel 


From  the  Second  to  the  Fourth  Commandment.      311 

*  348  Q.  When  may  we  take  an  oath  ? 

A.  We  may  take  an  oath  when  it  is  ordered  by 
lawful  authority  or  required  for  God's  honor  or  for  o\ir 
own  or  our  neighbor's  good. 

An  oath  is  generally  taken  in  a  court  of  law  when  the 
judge  wishes  to  find  out  the  truth  of  the  case.  We  may  be  a 
witness  against  oue  wlio  is  guilty,  or  in  defence  of  an  inno-' 
cent  person,  and  in  such  cases  a  lie  would  have  most  evil  con- 
Sequences.  The  judge  has  a  right,  therefore,  to  make  us  take 
an  oath  that  we  will  testify  truly.  Officers  of  the  law,  magis- 
trates, judges,  etc.,  take  an  oath  when  entering  upon  their 
duties  that  they  will  perform  them  faithfully. 

*  349  Q.  What  is  necessary  to  make  an  oath  lawful  P 
A.  To  make  an  oath  lawful  it  is  necessary  that  what 

we  swear  be  true,  and  that  there  be  a  sufllcient  cause 
for  taking  an  oath. 

350  Q.  What  is  a  vow? 

A.  A  vow  is  a  deliberate  promise  made  to  God  to  do 
something  that  is  pleasing  to  Him. 

"Deliberate" — that  is,  with  full  consent  and  freedom, 
tf  we  are  forced  to  make  it,  it  is  not  valid.  "  To  God,"  not 
to  another  ;  though  we  may  vow  to  God  that  we  will  do  some- 
thing in  honor  of  the  Blessed  Virgin,  or  of  the  saints,  or  for 
another.  "  Something^  pleasing,"  because  if  we  promise  some- 
thing that  is  forbidden  by  God  or  displeasing  to  Him,  it  is  not 
a  vow.  A  solemn  promise,  for  instance,  to  kill  your  neighbor 
or  steal  his  goods  could  not  be  a  vow.  You  would  commit  a 
sin  by  making  such  a  vow,  and  another  by  keeping  it,  for  if 
you  promise  something  you  cannot  do  without  committing  sin 
then  you  must  not  keep  that  promise.  We  have  an  example 
in  the  life  of  St.  John  the  Baptist.  King  Herod  was  leading 
a  sinful  life  ;  and  St.  John  rebuked  him  for  it.  The  wife  of 
the  king's  brother — Herodias  was  her  name — hated  St.  John 
for  this,  and  she  sought  to  have  him  killed.  Once  when  the 
king  had  a  great  feast  and  all  his  nobles  were  assembled,  this 


312      From  the  Second  to  the  Fourth  Commandment. 

woman's  daughter  danced  before  them,  and  the  king  was  sa 
pleased  with  her  that  he  vowed  to  give  her  whatever  sho 
asked.  He  should  have  said,  if  it  is  something  pleasing  to 
God,  but  he  did  not.  Her  mother  made  her  ask  for  the  head 
of  John  the  Baptist.  The  king  was  s;id,  but  because  he  had 
made  tlie  vow  or  promise  he  thought  he  had  to  keep  it,  and 
ordered  St.  John  to  be  beheaded  and  his  head  brought  to  her 
(Matt.  xiv.).  He  was  not  bound  to  keep  any  such  vow,  and 
sinned  by  doing  so. 

Again,  they  also  commit  sin  who  become  members  of  such 
secret  societies  as  the  Freemasons  or  similar  organizations, 
promising  to  do  whatever  they  are  ordered  without  knowing 
wliat  may  be  ordered ;  for  they  sin  not  only  by  obeying  sinful 
commands,  but  by  the  very  fact  of  being  in  a  society  in  which 
they  are  exposed  to  the  danger  of  being  forced  to  sin.  Such 
secret  societies  are  forbidden  by  the  Church  because  they 
strive  to  undermine  its  authority,  and  make  their  rules  su- 
perior to  its  teacliing.  They  also  influence  those  in  author- 
ity to  persecute  the  Church  and  its  ministers,  and  do  not 
hesitate  to  recommend  even  assassination  at  times  for  the  ac- 
complishment of  their  ends.  Therefore  the  Church  forbids 
Catholics  to  join  societies  of  which  (1)  the  objects  are  unlaw- 
ful, (2)  where  the  means  used  are  sinful,  (3)  where  the  rights 
of  our  conscience  and  liberty  are  violated  by  rash  or  danger- 
ous oaths. 

The  Church  does  not  oppose  associations  founded  on  law 
and  justice  ;  but  on  the  contrary,  has  always  encouraged  and 
still  encourages  every  organization  tliat  tends  to  benefit  ita 
members  spiritually  and  temporarily,  and  opposes  only  so- 
cieties that  have  not  a  legitimate  end.  Therefore  you  may 
understand  that  labor  unions  and  benefit  societies  in  whicli 
persons  are  leagued  together  for  their  own  protection  or  th« 
protection  of  their  interests  are  not  secret  societies,  thouglj 
they  may  conduct  their  meetings  in  secret. 

351  Q.  Is  it  a  sin  not  to  fiilfll  our  vows? 

A.  Not  to  fulfil  our  vows  is  a  3in,  mortal  or  venial, 


From  the  Second  to  the  Fourth  iJommandment.     313 

according  to  the  nature  of  the  vow  and  the  intention  wo 
had  in  making  it. 

"Vows" — that  is,  lawful  vows.  When  a  man  who  is  in 
the  habit  of  getting  intoxicated  vows  not  to  take  liquor  for  a 
certain  time,  he  generally  intends  to  bind  himself  only  under 
venial  sin;  that  is,  if  he  breaks  that  pledge  or  promise  it  will 
be  a  venial  and  not  a  mortal  sin;  but  he  can  make  it  a  mor- 
tal sin  by  intending,  when  he  takes  the  pledge,  that  if  he 
breaks  it  he  will  be  guilty  of  mortal  sin. 

352  Q.  What  is  forbidden  by  the  second  Command- 
ment? 

A.  The  second  Commandment  forbids  all  false,  rash, 
unjust,  and  unnecessary  oaths,  blasphemy,  cursing,  and 
profane  words. 

"Rash " — swearing  a  thing  is  true  or  false  without  know- 
ing for  certain  whether  it  is  or  not.  "  Blasphemy  "  is  not  the 
same  as  cursing  or  taking  God's  name  in  vain.  It  is  worse. 
It  is  to  say  or  do  something  very  disrespectful  to  God.  To 
say  that  He  is  unjust,  cruel  or  the  like,  is  to  blaspheme.  We 
can  blaspheme  also  by  actions.  To  defy  God  by  a  sign  or 
action,  to  dare  Him  to  strike  as  dead,  etc.,  would  be  blas- 
phemy. We  have  a  terrible  example  of  blasphemy  related  in 
the  life  of  Julian  the  Apostate.  An  apostate  is  one  who  re- 
nounces and  gives  up  his  religion,  not  one  who  merely  neg- 
lects it.  Julian  was  a  Eoman  emperor  and  had  been  a  Catho- 
lic, but  apostatized.  Then  in  his  great  hatred  for  Our  Lord  he 
wished  to  falsify  His  prophecies  and  prove  them  untrue.  Our 
Lord  had  said  that  of  the  temple  of  Jerusalem  there  would 
not  be  left  a  stone  upon  a  stone.  To  make  this  false  Julian 
began  to  rebuild  the  temple.  In  making  the  preparation  he 
cleared  away  the  ruins  of  the  old  building,  not  leaving  a  sin- 
gle stone  upon  a  stone,  and  thus  was  instrumental  himself  in 
verifying  the  words  of  Our  Lord  ;  for  while  the  ruins  remained 
there  were  stones  upon  stones.  He  wished  to  defy  God,  but 
when  he  began  to  build  fire  came  forth  from  the  earth  and 


(814      From  the  Second  to  the  Fourth  Commandment, 

irove  back  the  workmen,  and  a  strong  wind  scattered  tno 
materials.  Afterwards  Jnlian  was  wounded  in  battle,  an 
arrow  having  pierced  his  breast.  He  drew  it  ont,  and  throw- 
ing a  handful  of  his  blood  toward  heaven,  said :  "  Thou  hast 
conquered,  0  Galilean,"  meaning  Our  Lord.  This  was  a  hor- 
lible  blasphemy — throwing  his  blood  in  defiance,  and  calling 
the  Son  of  God  a  name  which  he  thought  would  be  insulting 
(See  Fredet's  Modern  History,  Life  of  Julian).  Therefore 
we  can  blaspheme  by  actions  or  words,  doing  or  saying  things 
intended  to  insult  Almighty  God.  "Profane  words'^ — that 
is,  bad,  but  especially  irreverent  and  irreligious  words. 

353  Q.  What  is  the  third  Commandment? 
A.  The  third  Commandment  is:  Kemember  thou  kee)7 
holy  the  Sabbath  day. 

*  354  Q.  What  are  we  commanded  by  the  third  Com' 
mandment  ? 

A.  By  the  third  Commandment  we  are  commanded 
to  keep  holy  the  Lord's  day  and  the  holy-days  of  obliga- 
tion, on  which  we  are  to  give  our  time  to  the  aervice 
and  worship  of  God. 

"Holy-days"  we  are  bound  to  keep  holy  just  in  the 
same  manner  we  do  Sundays — that  is,  by  hearing  Mass  and 
refraining  from  servile  works.  Those  who  after  hearing 
Mass  must  attend  to  business  or  work  on  those  days  should 
make  this  known  to  their  confessor,  that  he  may  judge  if  they 
have  a  sufficient  excuse  for  engaging  in  servile  works,  and 
thus  they  will  avoid  the  danger  of  sinfully  violating  an 
important  law.  There  must  always  be  a  good  reason  for 
working  on  a  holy-day.  Those  who  are  so  situated  that  they 
can  readily  refrain  from  servile  work  on  holy-days  must  do 
so.  And,  where  it  is  possible,  the  same  opportunity  must  be 
afforded  to  their  servants. 

"  Of  obligation,"  because  there  are  some  holy-days  not  of 
obligation.  We  celebrate  them,  but  we  are  not  bound  under 
pain  of  mortal  sin  to  hear  Mass  or  keep  from  servile  works  on 
Buch  days.    For  example,  St.  Patrick's  Day  is  not  a  holy-day  ol 


From  tlve,  SecoTid  to  the,  Fourth  Commandment.     315 

obligation.  The  ^reat  feast  of  Corpus  Christi  is  not  a  holy-day 
oif  obligation.  Not  satisfied  with  doing  only  what  the  Church 
obliges  us  to  do  ou  Sundays  and  holy-days,  those  who  really 
love  God  will  endeavor  to  do  more  than  the  bare  works  com- 
manded. Sunday  is  a  day  of  rest  and  prayer.  While  we 
may  take  innocent  and  useful  amusement,  we  should  not  join 
in  any  public  or  noisy  entertainments.  We  may  rest  and 
recreate  ourselves,  but  we  should  avoid  every  place  where  vul- 
gar and  sometimes  sinful  amusements,  scenes,  or  plays  are 
presented.  Even  in  taking  lawful  recreation  we  may  serve 
God  and  please  Him  if  we  take  it  to  strengthen  our  bodies 
that  we  may  be  enabled  to  do  the  work  He  has  assigned  to  ua 
in  this  world. 

Sunday  is  well  spent  by  those  who,  after  hearing  Mass,  devoto 
some  part  of  the  day  to  good  works,  such  as  pious  reading,  teach- 
ing in  Sunday-school,  bringing  relief  to  the  poor  and  sick, 
visiting  the  Blessed  Sacrament,  attending  Vespers,  Kosary,  etc. 
Not  that  I  mean  they  should  do  nothing  but  pray  on  Sundays  ; 
but  that  they  should  not  give  the  whole  day  to  useless  enjoy- 
ment or  idleness,  and  forget  God.  Some  begrudge  God  even 
the  half-hour  they  are  obliged  to  give  to  Mass  on  Sundays : 
they  stand  near  the  door,  ready  to  be  the  first  out,  and  perhaps 
were  the  last  in;  or  they  come  late,  and  do  not  give  the  full 
time  necessary  to  hear  the  entire  Mass.  Others  spend  the 
whole  day  in  reading  newspapers,  magazines,  or  useless—  I  will 
not  say  sinful — books.  It  is  not  a  sin  to  read  daily  newspapers, 
etc.,  on  Sunday;  but  to  give  the  whole  time  to  them,  and 
never  to  read  anything  good  and  instructive,  is  a  wilful  waste 
of  time — and  waste  of  time  is  sinful.  There  should  be  in 
every  family,  according  to  its  means,  one  or  more  good  Catholic 
newspapers  or  magazines.  Not  all  papers  that  bear  the  name 
of  Catholic  are  worthy  of  it.  A  truly  Catholic  paper  is  one 
that  teaches  or  defends  Catholic  truth,  and  warns  us  against 
its  enemies,  their  snares,  deceptions,  etc.;  one,  too,  that  tells  ua 
what  is  being  done  in  the  interests  of  religion,  educaticr,  etc. 
Besides  such  a  paper  there  should  be  a  few  standard  good 
books  in  every  family;  such  as  the  New  Testament,  the  Imi- 


316      From  the  Second  to  the  Fourth  Commandment. 

tation  of  Christ,  a  large  and  full  catechism  of  Christian  Doe- 
tiine,  etc.  On  the  other  hand,  all  the  books  in  your  liouse 
need  not  be  books  treating  of  religion  or  piety.  Any  book 
that  is  not  against  faith  or  morals  may  be  kept  and  read.  A 
book  may  not  be  bad  in  itself,  but  it  may  be  bad  for  you,  either 
because  it  is  suggestive  of  evil,  or  you  misunderstand  it,  and 
take  evil  out  of  it.  In  such  a  case  you  should  not  read  it 
At  the  present  time  there  are  so  many  bad  books  that  persons 
should  te  very  careful  as  to  what  they  read. 

Not  only  should  we  keep  Sunday  well  ourselves,  but  we 
should  (sndeavor  to  have  it  so  kept  by  others.  We  must  be 
careful,  however,  not  to  fall  into  the  mistake  of  some  who 
wish  the  Sunday  to  be  kept  as  the  Pharisees  of  old  kept  the 
Babbath,  telling  us  we  must  not  walk,  ride,  sail,  or  take  any 
exercise  or  enjoyment  on  that  day.  This  is  not  true,  for  Our 
Lord  rebuked  the  Pharisees  for  such  excessive  rigor;  God 
made  the  Sunday  for  our  benefit,  and  if  we  had  to  keep  it  as 
they  say  we  must,  it  would  be  more  of  a  punishment  than  a 
benefit. 

355  Q,.  How  are  we  to  worship  God  on  Sundays  and 
holy-days  of  obligation  ? 

A.  We  are  to  worship  God  on  Sundays  and  holy-days 
of  obligation  by  hearing  Mass,  by  prayer,  and  by  other 
good  works. 

*  356  Q.  Are  the  Sabbath  day  and  the  Sunday  the 
same? 

A.  The  Sabbath  day  and  tho  Sunday  are  not  the 
same.  The  Sabbath  is  the  seventh  day  of  the  week,  and 
is  the  day  which  was  kept  holy  in  the  Old  Law;  the 
Sunday  is  the  first  day  of  the  week,  and  is  the  day 
Which  ip  kept  holy  in  the  New  Law. 

*'  Old  Law "  means  the  law  that  God  gave  to  the  Jews; 
the  New  Law,  the  law  that  Our  Lord  gave  to  Christians, 

*  357  Q.  "Why  does  the  Church  command  us  to  keep 
ihe  Sunday  holy  instead  of  the  Sabbath  ? 

A,  The  Ch\u:ch  commands  us  to  keep  the  Sunday 


From  this  i^econd  to  the  Fourth  Commandment.     317 

holy  instead  of  the  Sabbath  because  on  Sunday  Christ 
rose  from  the  dead,  and  on  Sunday  He  sent  the  Holy 
Ghost  upon  the  apostles. 

"We  keep  Sunday  instead  of  Saturday  also  to  teach  that  the 
Old  Law  is  not  now  binding  upon  us,  but  that  we  must  keep 
the  New  Law,  which  takes  its  place. 

358  Q.  What  is  forbidden  by  the  third  Command- 
ment? 

A.  The  third  Commandment  forbids  all  unnecessary 
servile  work  and  whatever  else  may  hinder  the  due  ob- 
servance of  the  Lord's  day. 

359  Q.  What  are  servile  works? 

A.  Sorvile  works  are  those  which  require  labor  rather 
of  body  than  of  mind. 

"Servile" — that  is,  work  which  was  formerly  done  by  the 
slaves.  Therefore  writing,  reading,  studying,  etc.,  are  not 
servile,  because  they  were  not  the  works  of  slaves. 

360  Q.  Are  servile  works  on  Sunday  ever  lawful? 

A.  Servile   works    aro   lawful   on  Sunday   when  the 
honor  of  G-od,  the  good  of  our  neighbor,  or  necessity 
requires  them. 

"  Honor  of  God  ,  '*  for  example,  erecting  an  altar  that  could 
not  be  erected  at  another  time,  so  that  the  people  may  hear 
Mass  on  that  day. 

**  Good  of  our  neighbor" — such  as  reconstructing  a  broken 
'oridge  that  must  be  used  every  day;  or  clearing  away  obsta- 
3los  after  a  railroad  accident,  that  trains  may  not  be  delayed. 
"  Necessity  " — firemen  endeavoring  to  extinguish  a  fire,  sailora 
ivorkiug  on  a  ship  at  see,  etc. 


31 8    From  the  Fourth  to  the  Seventh  Commandmeai, 


LESSON  THIRTY-THIRD. 
FKOM  THE  FOURTH  TO  THE  SEVENTH  COMMAM)MENT. 

361  Q.  What  is  the  fourth  Commandment? 

A.  The  fourth  Commandment  is:  Honor  thy  fathai 
and  thy  mother. 

362  Q.  "What  are  we  commanded  by  the  fourth  Com- 
mandment ? 

A.  "We  are  commanded  by  the  fourth  Commandment 
to  honor^  love,  and  obey  our  parents  in  all  that  is  not 
sin. 

"  In  all  that  is  not  sin/*  because  if  our  parents  or  supe- 
riors, being  wicked,  bid  us  do  things  that  we  know  to  be  cer- 
tainly sinful,  then  we  must  not  obey  them  under  any  circum- 
stances. God  will  not  excuse  us  for  doing  wrong  because  we 
were  commanded.  But  if,  on  the  contrary,  we  are  forced  in 
spite  of  our  resistance  to  do  the  sinful  act,  then  not  we  but 
they  have  to  answer  for  the  sin.  If,  however,  you  simply 
doubt  about  the  sinfulness  of  the  act,  then  you  must  obey; 
because  you  must  always  suppose  that  your  superiors  know 
better  than  you  the  things  that  concern  their  duty.  Even  if 
they  should  be  mistaken  in  the  exercise  of  tlieir  authority,  God 
will  reward  your  obedience.  Besides  obeying  them,  you  must 
also  help  and  support  your  parents  if  they  need  your  assist- 
ance. You  must  not  scoff  at  or  despise  them  for  their  want 
of  learning  or  refinement,  because  they  perhaps  have  made 
many  sacrifices  to  give  you  the  advantages  of  which  they  in 
their  youth  were  deprived.  Do  we  not  sometimes  find 
persons  of  pretended  culture  ignorantly  slighting  their  plain- 
mannered  parents,  or  showing  that  they  are  ashamed  of  them 
or  unwilling  to  recognize  them  before  others,  ungratefully  for- 
settinff  that  whatever  wealth    or  learning  they  themselves 


From  the  Fourth  to  the  Seventh  Commandment.     319 

have  came  through  the  love  aud  kindness  of  these  same  par- 
ents ?  Again,  is  it  not  sinful  for  the  children,  especially 
of  such  parents,  to  waste  their  time  in  school,  knowing  that 
they  are  being  supported  in  idleness  by  the  hard  toil  and 
many  sacrifices  of  a  poor  father  ?  Never,  then,  be  guilty  of  an 
unkind  or  ungrateful  act.  No  matter  who  they  are  or  what 
their  condition,  never  forget  those  who  have  helped  you  and 
been  your  temporal  or  spiritual  benefactors.  If  you  c.innot 
return  the  kindness  to  the  one  who  helped  you,  at  least  be  as 
ready  as  he  was  to  do  good  to  another.  It  is  told  of  a  great 
man  that,  wishing  always  to  do  good,  he  made  it  a  rule  never 
to  stand  looking  at  the  effects  of  a  disturbance,  disaster,  or 
accident  unless  he  could  do  some  good  by  being  there. 

Wherever  you  are,  ask  yourselves  now  and  then,  Why  am 
I  in  this  particular  place;  what  good  am  I  doing  here? — etc. 
St.  Aloysius  wIicl  about  to  perform  any  action  used  to  ask 
himself,  it  is  said.  What  has  this  action  to  do  with  my  eternal 
salvation  ?  and  St.  Alphonsus  de  Liguori  made  a  vow  never  to 
waste  a  moment  of  his  time.  These  were  some  of  the  great 
heroes  of  the  Church,  and  this  is  one  of  the  reasons  why  th^y 
could  accomplish  so  much  for  God. 

363  Q.  Are  we  bound  to  honor  and  obey  others  than 
our  parents? 

A.  We  are  also  bound  to  honor  and  obey  our  bishops, 
pastors,  magistrates,  teachers,  and  other  lawful  superiors. 

"  Magistrates  " — that  is,  civil  nflers,  like  the  president, 
governor,  mayor,  judges,  etc. 

*  304  Q.  Have  parents  and  superiors  any  duties  to» 
wards  those  who  are  under  their  charge  ? 

A.  It  is  the  duty  of  parents  and  superiors  to  take 
good  care  of  all  under  their  charge  and  give  them  pro- 
per direction  and  example. 

It  is  so  much  their  duty  that  God  will  hold  them  responsi- 
ble for  it.  and  punish  them  for  neglecting  it;   so  that  your 


320    From  the  Fourth  to  the  Seventh  Commandment, 

parents  are  not  free  to  give  you  your  own  way.  They  have  to 
do  God's  work,  and,  as  His  agents,  punish  you  when  you  de- 
serve it.  You  should  take  their  punishment  as  coming  from 
God  Himself.  Tliey  do  not  punish  you  because  they  wish  to 
see  you  suffer,  but  lor  your  good.  Think  of  the  ten-ible  re- 
sponsibility of  parents.  Let  us  suppose  that  the  parents  of  a 
family  give  bad  exampioj  their  children  follow  their  example, 
and  when  they  become  heads  of  families  their  children  also 
T^ill  grow  up  in  wickedness :  and  thus  we  can  go  on  for  gener- 
ations, and  all  those  sins  will  be  traced  back  to  the  first  bad 
parents.  What  is  true  for  bad  example  is  true  also  for  good 
example;  that  is,  the  good  done  by  the  children  will  all  be 
traced  back  to  the  parents.  Sometimes  you  maybe  punished 
irhen  you  are  not  guilty;  then  think  of  the  times  you  were 
guilty  and  were  not  punished.  Remember  also  how  Our 
Lord  was  falsely  accused  before  Herod  and  Pilate,  and  yet  He 
never  opened  His  lips  to  defend  Himself,  but  suffered  pa- 
tiently. God  sees  your  innocence  and  will  reward  you  if  you 
bear  your  trial  patiently.  Indeed,  we  are  foolish  not  to  bear 
all  our  sufferings  patiently,  for  we  have  to  bear  them  any  way, 
and  we  might  just  as  well  have  the  reward  that  patient  suffer- 
ing will  bring  us.  Those  who  suffer  should  find  comfort  in 
this:  by  suffering  they  are  made  more  like  Our  Lord  and 
His  blessed  Mother.  She  lived  on  earth  over  sixty  years,  and 
during  all  that  time  she  seems  never  to  have  had  any  of  those 
things  that  bring  worldly  pleasure  and  happiness.  She  was 
left  an  orphan  when  quite  young,  and  spent  her  early  life  in 
the  temple,  which  was  for  her  a  kind  of  school;  then  she  was 
married  to  a  poor  old  carpenter,  and  must  have  found  It  very 
hard  at  times  to  get  a  living.  Our  Lord  was  bom  while  she 
was  away  from  home  in  a  strange  place.  After  she  had  re- 
turned and  had  just  settled  down  in  her  little  dwelling,  she 
had  to  fly  with  St.  Joseph  into  Egypt  to  save  the  life  of  thf 
little  Infant  Jesus,  whom  the  king's  officers  were  seeking  to 
kill.  In  Egypt  they  were  strangers,  among  people  not  of 
their  own  nationality  or  religion,  and  St.  Joseph  must  hav^ 
found  great  dift  jalty  in  providing  for  them;  yet  they  had  to 


From  the  Fourth  to  the  Seventh  Commandment.    321 

remain  there  for  some  time.  Then  when  our  divine  Lord  was 
grown  to  manhood  and  could  be  a  great  comfort  to  His  Mother, 
He  was  seized  and  put  to  death  in  her  presence.  Her  most 
beloved  and  innocent  Son  put  to  death  publicly  as  a  criminal 
before  all  her  neighbors!  The  same  persons  who  insulted 
Our  Lord  would  not  hesitate  to  insult  and  cruelly  treat  Hig 
blessed  Mother  also.  At  His  death  He  left  her  no  money  or 
property  for  her  support,  but  asked  a  friend.  St.  John,  to  re-= 
ceive  her  into  his  house  and  do  Him  the  favor  of  taking  care 
of  her.  She  must  have  often  felt  that  she  was  a  burden  in 
that  man's  house;  that  she  had  no  home  of  her  own,  but  was 
living  like  a  poor  woman  on  the  charity  of  kind  friends,  for 
St.  Joseph  died  before  Our  Lord's  public  life  began.  The 
blessed  Mother  was,  however,  obliged  to  remain  upon  earth 
for  about  eleven  years  after  Our  Lord's  ascension.  Thus  ws 
see  her  whole  life  was  one  of  trials  and  sorrows.  Now  cer- 
tainly Our  Lord  loved  His  Mother  more  than  any  other  son 
could;  and  certainly  also  He,  being  God,  could  have  made  His 
blessed  Mother  a  queen  upon  the  earth,  rich  and  powerful 
among  men,  and  free  from  every  suffering  or  inconvenience. 
If,  then.  He  sent  her  sorrows  and  trials,  it  must  have  been  be- 
cause  these  were  best  for  her,  and  because  He  knew  that  for 
this  suffering  here  upon  earth  her  happiness  and  glory  in 
heaven  would  be  much  increased ;  and  as  He  wished  her  to 
have  all  the  happiness  and  glory  she  was  capable  of  possessing, 
He  permitted  her  to  suffer.  If,  then,  suffering  was  good  for 
Our  Lord's  Mother,  it  is  good  also  for  us;  and  when  it  comes 
we  ought  not  to  complain,  but  bear  it  patiently,  as  she  didt 
and  ask  Our  Lord  to  give  us  that  grace. 

365  Q.  What  is  forbidden  by  the  fourth  Command' 
ment? 

A.  The  fourth  Commandment  forbids  all  disobedience, 
contempt,  and  stubbornness  towards  our  parents  or  law* 
ftil  superiors. 

*"  Contempt."    Showing  by  our  words  or  actions  that  we  dis« 
regard  or  despise  those  placed  over  us.    A  man  who  is  sum* 


322     From  the  Fourth  to  the  Seventh  Commandment. 

moned  to  appear  in  court  and  does  not  come  is  punished  foi 
**  contempt  of  court/'  because  he  shows  that  he  disregards  the 
authority  of  the  judge.  A  thing  not  very  bad  in  itself  may 
become  very  bad  if  done  out  of  contempt.  For  example, 
there  would  be  a  great  difference  between  eating  a  little  more 
than  the  Church  allows  on  a  fast-day,  simply  because  you 
were  hungry,  and  eating  it  because  you  wanted  to  show  that 
you  despised  the  law  of  fasting  and  the  authority  of  the 
Church.  The  first  would  be  only  a  venial  sin,  but  the  latter 
mortal.  So  for  all  your  actions.  An  act  which  in  itself  might 
be  a  venial  sin  could  easily  become  a  mortal  sin  if  you  did  it 
through  contempt.  "Stubbornness" — that  is,  unwillingness 
to  give  in,  even  when  you  know  you  are  wrong  and  should 
yield.  Those  who  obey  slowly  and  do  what  they  are  ordered 
in  a  sulky  manner  are  also  guilty  of  stubbornness. 

366  Q.  What  is  the  fifth  Commandment  ? 

A.  The  fifth  Commandment  is:  Thou  shalt  not  Tsiil. 

367  Q.  What  are  we  commanded  by  the  fifth  Com- 
mandment ? 

A.  We  are  commanded  by  the  fifth  Commandment  to 
live  in  peace  and  union  with  our  neighbor,  to  respect 
his  rights,  to  seek  his  spiritual  and  bodily  welfare,  and 
to  take  proper  care  of  our  own  life  and  health. 

"Proper  care  of  our  own  life."  It  is  not  our  property,  but 
God's.  He  lends  it  to  us  and  leaves  it  with  us  as  long  as  He 
pleases:  nor  does  He  tell  us  how  long  He  will  let  us  have  the 
use  of  it.  Thus  suicide,  or  the  taking  of  one's  own  life,  is  a 
mortal  sin,  for  by  it  we  resist  the  will  of  God.  One  who  in 
sound  mind  and  full  possession  of  reason  causes  his  own  death 
is  guilty  of  suicide.  But  it  is  sometimes  very  difficult  to  de- 
termine whether  the  person  was  really  sane  at  the  time  he 
committed  the  act;  hence,  when  there  is  any  reasonable  doubt 
on  that  point,  the  unfortunate  suicide  is  usually  given  the 
benefit  of  it.  It  is  also  a  sin  to  risk  our  lives  uselessly  or  to 
continue  in  any  habit  that  we  are  sure  is  injuring  our  health 
and  shortening  our  lives. 

Thus  an  habitual  drunkard  Is  fiUilti  ot  sin  against  the  f  I"'  o 


From  the  Fourth  to  the  Seventh  Commandment.    323 

commandment,  for  besides  his  sin  of  drunkenness,  he  is  ha& 
tening  his  own  death.  So,  too,  boys  or  girls  who  indulge 
in  habits  which  their  parents  forbid  are  guilty  of  sin,  Foi 
example,  a  boy  is  forbidden  to  smoke,  and  he  does  smoke. 
Not  to  smoke  is  not  in  itself  a  sin,  but  it  becomes  a  sin  for 
that  boy,  because  in  the  first  place  he  is  disobedient,  and  sec- 
ondly is  injuring  his  health.  Thus  persons  who  indulge  in 
sinful  habits  may  commit  more  than  one  kind  of  sin,  for  be- 
sides the  sins  committed  by  the  habits  themselves,  these  vices 
may  injure  their  health  and  bring  sickness  and  disease  upon 
their  bodies. 

368  Q.  What  Is  forbidden  by  the  fifth  Command- 
ment? 

A.  The  fifth  Commandment  forbids  all  wilful  murder, 
ggLting,  anger,  hatred,  revenge,  and  bad  example. 

Therefore  it  forbids  all  that  might  lead  to  murdei.  So 
we  can  violate  any  of  the  commandments  by  doing  anything 
that  leads  to  breaking  them.  "  Revenge  "  is  a  desire  to  in- 
jure others  because  they  injured  you. 

369  Q.  What  is  the  sixth  Commandment? 

A.  The  sixth  Commandment  is:  Thou  shalt  not  com« 
mit  adultery. 

370  Q.  What  are  we  commanded  by  the  sixth  Com- 
mandment ? 

A.  We  are  commanded  by  the  sixth  Commandment 
to  be  pure  in  thought  and  modest  in  all  our  looks, 
words,  and  actions. 

We  should  be  most  careful  about  this  commandment, 
because  almost  every  violation  of  it  is  a  mortal  sin.  For  ex- 
ample, if  you  steal  only  a  little,  it  is  a  venial  sin;  for  in  steal- 
ing the  greatness  of  the  sin  will  depend  upon  the  amount  you 
steal;  but  if  you  do  a  real  bad  action,  or  think  a  real  bad 
thought  against  the  sixth  commandment,  it  will  be  a  mortal 
sin,  no  matter  how  short  the  time.  Again,  we  have  more 
temptations  against  this  commandment,  for  we  are  tempted 
by  our  own  bodies  and  we,  cannot,  avoid  them:  hence  tho 


324     J^'rom  the  Jf'ourVh  to  the  Seventh  Commandment. 

necessity  of  being  always  guarded  against  this  sin  It  enters 
into  our  soul  through  our  senses;  they  are,  as  it  were,  the 
doors  of  our  soul.  It  enteis  by  our  eyes  looking  at  bad 
objects  or  pictures;  by  our  ears  listening  to  bad  conversation,* 
by  our  tongue  saying  and  repeating  immodest  words,  etc.  If, 
then,  we  guard  all  the  doors  of  our  soul,  sin  cannot  enter.  It 
would  be  foolish  to  lock  all  the  doors  in  your  house  but  one 
for  one  will  suflBce  to  admit  a  thief,  and  we  might  as  well 
leave  them  all  open  as  one.  So,  too,  we  must  guard  all  the 
senses;  for  sin  can  enter  by  one  only  as  well  as  by  all. 

371  Q.  What-is  forbidden  by  the  sixth  Commandment? 
A.  The  sixth  Commandment  forbids  all  unchaste  free- 

dom  with  another's  wife  or  husband :  also  all  immodesty 
with  ourselves  or  others  in  looks,  dress,  words,  or  ac* 
tions. 

372  Q.  Does  the  sixth  Commandment  forbid  the  read- 
ing of  bad  and  immodest  books  and  newspapers  ? 

A.  The  sixth  Commandment  does  forbid  the  reading 
of  bad  and  immodest  books  and  newspapers. 

Reading  brings  us  into  the  company  of  those  who  wrote 
the  book.  Now  we  should  be  just  as  careful  to  avoid  a  bad 
book  as  a  bad  man,  and  even  more  so;  for  while  we  read  we 
can  stop  to  think,  and  read  over  again,  so  that  bad  words  read 
will  often  make  more  impression  upon  us  than  bad  words 
spoken  to  us.  You  should  avoid  not  only  bad,  but  useless 
books.  You  could  not  waste  all  your  time  witli  an  idle  man 
without  becoming  like  him — an  idler.  So  if  you  waste  your 
time  on  useless  books,  your  knowledge  will  be  just  like  the 
books  —  useless.  Many  authors  write  only  for  the  sake  of 
money,  and  care  little  whether  their  book  is  good  or  bad, 
provided  it  sells  well.  How  many  young  people  have  been 
ruined  by  bad  books,  and  how  many  more  by  foolish  books  ! 
Boys,  for  example,  read  in  some  worthless  book  of  desperate 
deeds  of  highway  robbery  or  piracy,  and  are  at  once  filled  with 
the  desire  to  imitate  the  hero  of  the  tale.  Young  girls,  on 
the  other  hand,  are  equally  infatuated  by  the  wonderful  for- 
tunes and  adventures  of  some  joung  woman  whose  life  has  been 


j^rom  the  Fourth  lo  the  /Seventh  Vommandment.    cJ2i) 

L  j  vividly  described  in  a  trashy  novel.  As  the  result  of  such 
reading,  young  persons  lose  the  true  idea  of  virtue  and  valor 
of  true,  noble  manhood  and  womanhood,  and  with  their 
hearts  and  minds  corrupted  set  up  vice  for  their  model. 

Again,  these  books  are  filled  with  such  terrible  lies  and 
unlikely  things  that  any  sensible  boy  or  girl  should  see  their 
foolishness  at  once.  Think,  for  example,  of  a  book  relating 
how  two  boys  defeated  and  killed  or  captured  several  hundred 
Indians  I  Is  that  likely  ?  The  truth  is,  if  two  Indians  shook 
their  tomahawks  ^i  as  many  boys  as  you  could  crowd  into  this 
building,  every  single  one  of  them  would  run  for  his  life. 

Let  me  give  you  still  another  reason  for  not  reading  trashy 
books.  Your  minds  can  hold  just  so  much  good  or  evil  infor- 
mation, and  if  you  fill  them  full  of  lies  and  nonsense  you 
leave  no  room  for  true  knowledge. 

Do  not,  therefore,  get  into  the  nabit  of  reading  foolish 
story-papers  and  cheap  novels.  Read  good  books  in  which 
you  can  find  information  that  will  be  useful  to  you  all  through 
your  life. 

If  now  and  then  you  read  story-books  for  amusement  or 
rest  from  study,  let  them  be  good  story-books,  written  by 
good  authors.  Ask  some  one's  advice  about  the  books  you 
read — some  one  who  is  capable  of  giving  such  advice:  your 
pastor,  your  teachers,  and  frequently  your  parents  and  friends. 
Learn  all  through  your  life  to  ask  advice  on  every  important 
matter.  How  many  mistakes  in  life  would  have  been  pre- 
vented if  those  making  them  had  only  asked  advice  from  tho 
proper  persons  and  followed  it.  Your  parents  have  travelled 
the  road  of  life  before  you.  Now  it  is  known  to  them  and 
they  can  point  out  its  dangers.  To  you  the  road  is  entirely 
new,  and  it  will  be  only  after  you  have  travelled  it  and 
arrived  nearly  at  its  end  in  the  latter  days  of  your  life  that 
you  also  will  be  able  to  advise  others  how  to  pass  through  it 
in  safety.  This  road  can  be  travelled  only  once,  so  be  advised 
by  those  who  have  learned  its  many  dangers  by  their  own  ex- 
perience. You  should  be  very  glad  that  those  of  experience 
are  willing  to  teach  you,  and  if  you  neglect  their  warnings 
you  will  be  very  sorry  for  it  Some  CiSiiS* 


326  From  the  Seventh  to  End  of  the  Tenth  Commandmevi, 


LESSON  THIRTY-FOURTH. 

FROM  THE  SEVENTH  TO  THE  END  OF  THE  TENTH 
COMMANDMENT. 

373  Q.  What  is  the  seventh  Commandment? 
A.  The  seventh    Commandment   is:    Thou    shalt  not 
steal. 

Stealing  is  one  of  those  vices  of  which  you  have  to  be 
most  careful.  Children  should  learn  to  have  honest  hearts, 
and  never  to  take  unjustly  even  the  smallest  thing ;  for  some 
begin  a  life  of  dishonesty  by  stealing  little  things  from  their 
own  house  or  from  stores  to  which  they  are  sent  for  goods. 
A  nut,  a  cake,  an  apple,  a  cent,  etc.,  do  not  seem  much,  but 
nevertheless  to  take  any  of  them  dishonestly  is  stealing. 
Children  who  indulge  in  this  trifling  thievery  seldom  correct 
the  habit  in  after  life  and  grow  up  to  be  dishonest  men  and 
women.  How  do  you  suppose  all  the  thieves  now  spending 
their  miserable  lives  in  prison  began  ?  Do  you  believe  they 
were  very  honest — never  having  stolen  even  the  slightest  thing 
—up  to  a  certain  day,  and  at  once  became  thieves  by  commit- 
ting a  highway  robbery?  No;  they  began  by  stealing  little 
things,  then  greater,  and  kept  on  till  they  made  stealing  their 
business  and  thus  became  professional  thieves.  Again,  the 
little  you  steal  each  day  does  not  seem  much  at  the  time,  but 
if  you  put  all  the  *' littles"  together  you  may  soon  have  some- 
thing big,  and  almost  before  you  know  it — if  you  intend  to 
continue  stealing — you  may  have  taken  enough  to  make  you 
guilty  of  mortal  sin.  If  you  intended  to  steal,  for  instance, 
only  a  few  cents  every  day  for  the  whole  year,  you  would  at 
the  end  have  stolen  many  dollars  and  committed  a  mortal  sin. 
There  are  many  ways  of  violating  the  seventh  commandment. 
Workmen  who  do  aot  do  a  just  day's  work,  or  employers  wiap 


From  the  Seventh  to  End  of  the  Tenth  Commandment.  327 

cheat  their  workmen  out  of  wages  earned ;  merchants  who 
charge  unjust  prices  and  seek  unjust  profits;  dealers  who  give 
light  weight  or  short  measure  or  who  misrepresent  goods; 
those  who  speculate  rashly  or  gamble  with  the  money  of  others, 
and  those  who  borrow  with  no  intention  or  only  slight  hope  of 
being  able  to  pay  back,  all  violate  this  commandment.  You 
violate  it  also  by  not  paying  your  just  debts  or  by  purchasing 
goods  that  you  know  you  will  never  be  able  to  pay  for.  More- 
over, besides  the  injustice,  it  is  base  ingratitude  not  to  pay 
your  debts  when  in  your  power  to  do  so.  The  one  who 
trusted  or  lent  you  helped  you  in  your  need  and  did  you  a 
great  favor,  and  yet  when  you  can  you  will  not  pay,  and  what 
is  worse,  frequently  abuse  and  insult  him  for  asking  his  own. 
Though  such  dishonest  and  ungrateful  persons  may  escape  in 
this  world,  they  will  not  escape  in  the  next,  for  Almighty  God 
will  make  them  suffer  for  the  smallest  debt  they  owe. 

Again,  others  often  suffer  for  the  dishonesty  of  those  I 
have  mentioned,  for  when  some  good  person  who  really  in- 
tends to  pay  is  in  great  need  and  wishes  to  borrow  or  be 
trusted,  he  is  refused  because  others  have  been  dishonest. 
Every  one  should  pay  his  debts,  and  even  keep  from  buying 
things  that  are  not  really  necessary  till  he  is  thus  enabled  to 
pay  what  he  owes.  You  must  pay  your  just  debts  even  be- 
fore  you  can  give  anything  in  charity. 

374  Q.  What  are  we  commanded,  by  the  seventh 
Commandment  ? 

A.  By  the  seventh  Commandment  we  are  commanded 
to  give  to  all  men  what  belongs  to  them  and  to  respect, 
their  property. 

"Respect  their  property" — that  is,  acknowledge  and  re- 
spect their  rights  to  their  property  and  do  nothing  to  violate 
these  rights. 


375  Q.  What  is  forbidden  by  the  seventh  Command- 
ment? 


328  From  the  Seventh  to  End  of  the.  Tenth  Commandment. 

A.  The  seventli  Commandment  forbids  all  unjust 
taking  or  keeping  what  belongs  to  another. 

"  Taking/'  either  with  your  own  hands  or  from  the  hands 
of  another;  for  the  one  who  willingly  and  knowingly  receives 
from  a  thief  the  whole  or  part  of  anything  stolen  becomes  as 
bad  as  the  thief.  Even  if  you  only  help  another  to  steal,  and 
receive  none  of  the  stolen  goods,  you  are  guilty.  There  are 
several  ways  of  sharing  in  the  sin  of  another;  namely,  by 
ordering  or  advising  him  to  do  wrong;  by  praising  him  for 
doing  wrong  and  thus  encouraging  him;  by  consenting  to 
wrong  when  you  should  oppose  it — for  instance,  a  member  of 
a  society  allowing  an  evil  act  to  be  done  by  the  society  when 
his  vote  would  prevent  it;  again,  by  affording  wrong-doers 
protection  and  means  of  escape  from  punishment  for  their 
evil  deeds.  This  does  not  mean  that  we  should  not  defend 
the  guilty.  We  should  defend  them,  but  should  not  encour- 
age them  to  do  wrong  by  offering  them  a  means  of  escape 
from  just  punishment.  We  share  in  another's  sin  also  by  neg- 
lecting to  prevent  his  bad  action  when  it  is  our  duty  to  do 
so.  For  example,  if  a  police-officer  paid  for  guarding  your 
property  should  see  a  thief  stealing  it  and  not  prevent  him, 
he  would  be  as  guilty  as  the  thief.  Your  neighbor  indeed 
might  warn  you  that  the  thief  was  stealing  your  goods,  but  he 
would  not  be  bound  in  justice  to  do  so,  as  the  officer  is,  but 
only  in  charity,  because  it  is  not  his  duty  to  guard  your  prop- 
erty. Parents  who  know  that  their  children  steal  and  do  not 
prevent  them  or  compel  them  to  bring  back  what  they  stole, 
but  rather  encourage  them  by  being  indifferent,  are  guilty  of 
dishonesty  as  well  as  the  children,  and  share  in  their  sins  of 
theft.  But  suppose  you  did  not  know  the  thing  was  stolen 
when  you  received  it,  but  learned  afterward  that  it  was,  must 
you  then  return  it  to  the  proper  owner  ?  Yes  ;  just  as  soon 
as  you  know  to  whom  it  belongs  you  begin  to  sin  by  keeping 
it.  But  suppose  you  bought  it  not  knowing  that  it  was  stolen, 
would  you  still  have  to  restore  it  ?  Yes,  when  the  owner 
asks  for  it,  because  it  belongs  to  him  till  he  sells  it  or  gives  it 
away.      If  you  have  bought  from  a  thief  you  have  been 


From  the  Seventh  to  End  of  the  Tenth  CommandTnent.  329 

cheated  and  must  suffer  the  loss.  Your  mistake  will  make 
you  more  careful  on  the  next  occasion.  Suppose  you  find  a 
thing,  what  must  you  do  ?  Try  to  find  its  owner,  and  if  you 
find  him  give  him  what  is  his,  and  that  without  any  reward 
for  restoring  it,  unless  he  pleases  to  give  you  something,  or 
unless  you  have  been  put  to  an  expense  by  keeping  it.  If 
you  cannot  find  the  owner  after  sincerely  seeking  for  him, 
then  you  may  keep  the  thing  found.  But  suppose  you  kept 
the  article  so  long  before  looking  for  the  owner  that  it  became 
impossible  for  you  to  restore  it  to  him,  either  because  he  had 
died  or  removed  to  parts  unknown  during  your  delay — what 
then  ?  Then  you  must  give  the  article  or  its  value  to  his  chil- 
dren or  others  who  have  a  right  to  his  goods;  and  if  no  one 
who  has  such  a  right  can  be  found,  you  must  give  it  to  the 
poor,  for  you  have  it  unjustly — since  you  did  not  look  for  the 
owner  when  it  was  possible  to  find  him — and  therefore  cannot 
keep  it. 

376  Q.  Are  we  bound  to  restore  ill-gotten  goods? 

A.  "We  are  bound  to  restore  ill-gotten  goods,  or  the 
value  of  them,  as  far  as  we  are  able ;  otherwise  we  can- 
not be  forgiven. 

'' Ill-gotten  "—that  is,  unjustly  gotten.  "Value."  It 
sometimes  happens  that  persons  lose  or  destroy  the  article 
stolen,  and  therefore  cannot  return  it.  What  must  be  done 
in  such  cases  ?  They  must  give  the  owner  the  value  of  it. 
However,  when  you  have  stolen  anything  and  have  to  restore 
it,  you  need  not  go  to  the  owner  and  say,  "  Here  is  what  I 
stole  from  you."  It  is  only  necessary  that  he  gets  what  is  his 
own  or  its  value.  He  need  not  even  know  that  it  is  being 
restored  to  him,  unless  he  knows  you  stole  it ;  and  then  it 
would  be  better  for  your  own  good  name  to  let  him  know  that 
you  are  making  amends  for  the  injustice  done.  Therefore, 
no  one  need  have  any  excuse  for  not  restoring  what  he  has 
unjustly,  because  he  has  only  to  see  that  it  is  returned  in 
some  wav  to  its  owner,  or  to  those  who  have  the  next  right  to 


330  From  the  Seventh  to  EtuI  of  the  Tenth  Commandment, 

it,  or  to  the  poor.  But  you  must  remember  you  cannot  make 
restitution  by  giving  to  the  poor  if  you  can  restore  to  the 
proper  owner.  You  must  restore  by  giving  to  the  poor  only 
when  the  owner  cannot  be  found  or  reached.  Some  persons 
do  not  like  the  duty  of  restoring  to  the  proper  owner,  and 
think  they  satisfy  their  obligation  by  giving  tlie  ill-gotten 
goods  to  the  poor;  but  they  do  not.  You  cannot  give  even 
in  charity  the  goods  of  another  without  being  guilty  of  dis- 
honesty. If  you  wish  to  be  charitable,  give  from  your  own 
goods.  It  is  a  sin  to  delay  making  restitution  after  you  are 
able  to  restore.  You  must  restore  just  as  soon  as  you  can, 
because  the  longer  you  keep  the  owner  out  of  his  property 
and  its  benefits,  the  greater  the  injury  you  do  him  and  the 
greater  the  sin.  One  who,  after  being  told  by  his  confessor  to 
make  restitution,  and  promising  to  do  so,  still  delays  or  keeps 
putting  off,  runs  the  risk  of  being  guilty  of  sacrilege  by  receiv- 
ing the  sacraments  without  proper  dispositions.  But  suppose 
a  person  cannot  restore;  suppose  he  lost  the  thing  stolen  and 
has  not  the  value  of  it.  What  must  he  do  ?  He  must  have 
the  firm  resolution  of  restoring  as  soon  as  he  possibly  can; 
and  without  this  good  resolution  he  could  not  be  absolved 
from  his  sins — even  if  he  had  not  the  real  means  of  restoring. 
The  good  intention  and  resolution  will  sufiice  till  he  has 
really  the  means;  but  this  intention  must  be  serious,  other- 
wise there  will  be  no  forgiveness. 


377  Q.  Are  we  obliged  to  repair  the  damage  we  have 
unjustly  caused? 

A.  We  are  bound  to  repair  the  damage  we  have  xm.- 
justly  caused. 

378  Q.  What  is  the  eighth  Commandment? 

A.  The  eighth  Commandment  is:  Thou  shalt  not  bear 
false  witness  against  thy  neighbor. 

Either  in  a  court,  while  we  are  acting  as  witnesses,  or  bv 
telling  lies  about  him  at  any  other  time. 


From  the  Seventh  to  End  of  the  Tenth  Commandment.  331 

379  Q.  What  are  we  commanded  by  the  eighth  Com- 
mandment ? 

A.  We  are  commanded  by  the  eighth  Commandment 
to  speak  the  truth  in  all  things,  and  to  be  careful  of  the 
honor  and  reputation  of  every  one. 

"  Reputation."  If  it  be  a  sin  to  steal  a  man's  mon^, 
which  we  can  restore  to  him,  it  is  certainly  a  much  greater 
sin  to  steal  his  good  name,  which  we  can  never  restore,  and 
especially  as  we  have  nothing  to  gain  from  injuring  his  char- 
acter. It  is  a  sin  to  tell  evil  things  about  another — his  sins, 
vices,  etc. — even  when  they  are  true.  The  only  thing  that 
will  excuse  us  from  telling  another's  fault  is  the  necessity  to 
do  so  in  which  we  are  placed,  or  the  good  we  can  do  to  the 
person  himself  or  others  by  exposing  his  faults.  How  shall 
fou  know  when  you  have  injured  the  character  of  another  ? 
You  have  injured  another's  character  if  you  made  others 
think  less  of  [him  than  they  did  before.  If  you  have  exposed 
some  crime  that  he  really  committed,  your  sin  is  called 
detraction;  if  you  accuse  him  of  one  he  did  not  commit,  your 
sin  is  calumny;  and  if  you  maliciously  circulate  these  reports, 
to  injure  his  character,  your  sin  is  slander.  But  how  shall 
you  make  reparation  for  injuring  the  character  of  another  ? 
If  you  have  told  lies  about  him,  you  must  acknowledge  to 
those  with  whom  you  have  talked  that  you  have  told  what 
was  untrue  about  him,  and  you  must  even  compensate  him 
for  whatever  loss  he  has  suffered  by  your  lies :  for  example, 
the  loss  of  his  situation  by  your  accusing  him  of  dishonesty. 
But  if  what  you  said  of  him  was  true,  how  are  you  to  act  ? 
At  every  opportunity  say  whatever  good  you  can  of  him  in 
the  presence  of  those  before  whom  you  have  spoken  the  evil 

380  Q.  What  is  forbidden  by  the  eighth  Command- 
ment? 

A.  The  eighth  Commandment  forbids  all  rash  judg- 
ments, backbiting,  slanders,  and  lies. 

"Rash  judgment" — ^that  is,  having  in  your  mind  and 
really  believing  that  a  person  is  guilty  of  a  certain  sin  when 


332  From  tne  JSeventh  to  End  of  the  Tenth  Conimandment. 

you  have  no  reason  for  thinking  so,  and  no  evidence  that  he 
is  guilty.  "Backbiting" — that  is,  talking  evil  of  persons 
behind  their  backs.  You  would  not  like  your  neighbor  to 
backbite  you,  and  you  have  no  right  to  do  to  him  what  you 
would  not  wish  him  to  do  to  you.  Besides,  every  one  hates 
and  fears  a  backbiter;  because  as  he  brings  to  you  a  bad 
story  about  another,  he  will  in  the  same  manner  bring  to  some 
one  else  a  bad  story  about  you.  It  is  certainly  an  honor  to 
be  able  to  say  of  a  person ;  "  He  never  has  a  bad  word  of  any 
one ;"  while,  on  the  other  hand,  he  must  be  a  despicable  creat- 
ure who  never  speaks  of  others  except  to  censure  or  revile 
them.  Never  listen  to  a  backbiter,  detractor,  or  slanderer — ii 
is  sinful.  Another  way  of  injuring  your  neighbor  is,  revealing 
the  secrets  he  has  confided  to  you.  You  will  tell  one  friend 
perhaps  and  caution  him  not  to  repeat  it  to  another;  but  if 
you  cannot  keep  the  secret  yourself,  how  can  you  expect 
others  to  keep  it?  Again  you  may  injure  your  neighbor  by 
reading  his  letters  without  his  consent  when  you  have  no 
authority  to  do  so.  This  is  considered  a  crime  in  the  eyes 
even  of  the  civil  law,  and  any  one  who  opens  and  reads  the 
letters  of  another  can  be  punished  by  imprisonment  It  is  a 
kind  of  theft,  for  it  is  stealing  secrets  and  information  that 
yon  have  no  right  to  know.  It  is  dishonoi.vble  to  read  an- 
other's letter  without  his  consent,  even  when  you  find  it  open. 
To  carry  to  persons  the  evil  things  said  about  them  by  others 
80  as  to  bring  about  disputes  between  them  is  very  sinful. 
The  Holy  Scripture  (Rom.  i.  29)  calls  this  class  of  sinners 
whisperers,  and  says  that  they  will  not  enter  into  heaven — that 
is,  as  long  as  they  continue  in  the  habit.  If  ever,  then,  you 
hear  one  person  saying  anything  bad  about  another,  never  go 
and  tell  it  to  the  person  of  whom  it  was  said.  If  you  do,  you 
will  be  the  cause  of  all  the  sin  that  follows  from  it — of  the 
anger,  hatred,  revenge,  and  probably  murder  itself,  as  some- 
times happens. 

*  381  Q.  What  m  ist  they  do  who  have  lied  about  theii 
Beighbor  and  seriously  injured  his  character? 

JL  They  who  haasSL-M^  about  their  neighbor  and 


From  the  Seventh  to  End  of  the  Tenth  Commandment.  333 

seriously  injured  his  character  must  repair  the  injury 
done  as  far  as  they  are  able,  otherwise  they  will  not  be 
forgiven. 

382  Q.  What  is  the  ninth  Commandment? 

A.  The  ninth  Commandment  is :  Thou  shalt  not  covet 
thy  neighbor's  wife. 

383  Q.  What  are  we  commanded  by  the  ninth  Com- 
mandment ? 

A.  We  are  commanded  by  the  ninth  Commandment  to 
keep  ourselves  pure  in  thought  and  desire. 

384  Q.  What  is  forbidden  by  the  ninth  Command- 
ment? 

A.  The  ninth  Commandment  forbids  unchaste  thoughts, 
desires  of  another's  wife  or  husband,  and  all  other  un- 
lawful impure  thoughts  and  desires. 

*  385  Q,.  Are  impure  thoughts  and  desires  always  sins? 
A.  Impure  thoughts  and  desires  are  always  sins,  un- 
less they  displease  us  and  we  try  to  banish  them. 

386  Q.  What  is  the  tenth  Commandment? 

A.  The  tenth  Commandment  is:  Thou  shalt  not  covet 
thy  neighbor's  goods. 

"  Covet "  means  to  long  for  or  desire  inordinately  or  unlaw- 
fully. If  I  should  desire,  for  example,  my  friend  to  be  killed 
by  an  accident,  in  order  that  I  might  become  the  owner  of  his 
gold  wiitch,  I  would  be  coveting  it.  But  if  I  desired  to  have 
it  justly — that  is,  to  be  able  to  purchase  it,  or  another  similar 
to  it,  that  would  not  be  covetousness. 

387  Q.  What  are  we  commanded  by  the  tenth  Com- 
mandment ? 

A.  By  tho  tenth  Commandment  we  are  commanded  to 
be  content  with  what  we  have,  and  to  rejoice  in  our 
neighbor's  welfare. 

388  Q,.  What  is  forbidden  by  the  tenth  Command- 
ment? 

A.  The  tenth  Commandment  forbids  all  desires  to  take 
or  keep  wrongfully  what  belongs  to  another. 


334  On  the  First  and  Second  Commandments  of  tJw  Churchy 


LESSON  THIRTY-FIFTH. 

0»   THE   FIRST    AND   SECOND   COMMANDMENTS   OF  THE 

CHURCH. 

389  Q.  WMcli  are  the  chief  commandments  of  the 
Church? 

A.  The  chief  commandments  of  the  Church  are  six : 

1.  To  hear  Mass  on  Sundays  and  holy-days  of  obliga- 
tion. 

2.  To  fast  and  abstain  on  the  days  appointed. 

3.  To  confess  at  least  once  a  year. 

4.  To  receive  the  Holy  Eucharist  during  the  Easter 
time. 

5.  To  contribute  to  the  support  of  our  pastors. 

6.  Not  to  marry  persons  who  are  not  Catholics,  or 
who  are  related  to  us  within  the  fourth  degree  of  kin- 
dred, nor  privately  without  witnesses,  nor  to  solemnize 
marriage  at  forbidden  times. 

390.  Q.  Is  it  a  mortal  sin  not  to  hear  Mass  on  a  Stm-* 
day  or  a  holy -day  of  obligation  ? 

A.  It  is  a  mortal  sin  not  to  hear  Mass  on  a  Sunday  or 
a  holy-day  of  obligation,  unless  we  are  excused  for  a 
serious  reason.  They  also  commit  a  mortal  sin,  who, 
havir^  others  under  their  charge,  hinder  them  from 
hearing  Mass,  without  a  sufficient  reason. 

"  Serious  reason  " — that  is,  a  very  good  reason,  such  as 
sickness,  necessity  of  taking  care  of  the  sick,  great  danger  of 
death,  etc.  Some  persons  when  they  go  to  the  country  in  the 
summer  believe  themselves  excused  from  hearing  Mass  be- 
cause the  church  is  a  little  further  from  them  or  the  Mass  at 
more  inconvenient  times  than  in  the  city.  When  they  are  in 
the  country  they  are  bound  by  the  same  obligations  as  the 
Catholics  who  live  in  that  parish  the  whole  year  round,  and 


On  the  First  and  Second  Commandments  of  the  Church.  335 

they  mast  go  to  Mass  as  these  do,  even  if  it  is  more  inconven- 
ient than  in  the  city.  Persons  who  have  it  in  their  power  to 
select  their  own  summer  resort,  should  not,  without  great  ne- 
cessity, select  a  place  where  there  is  no  Catholic  church,  and 
T^here  they  will  be  deprived  of  Mass  and  the  sacraments  for 
several  months,  and  where  there  is  danger  of  their  dying  with- 
out the  sacraments.  Some  excuse  themselves  from  going  to 
Mass  because  they  are  too  tired  to  rise  in  the  morning.  They 
should  be  ashamed  to  give  such  an  excuse.  Was  our  blessed 
Lord  not  tired  when  He  carried  His  cross  ?  He  was  tired, 
for  He  fell  under  it  several  times.  And  where  was  He  going  ? 
To  Calvary,  to  offer  up  the  bloody  sacrifice  of  the  cross  for 
you.  Will  you  plead  fatigue  as  an  excuse  when  you  come  to 
be  judged  by  Him  ?  Others  again  have  a  great  habit  of  com- 
ing late  for  Mass.  No  matter  at  what  hour  the  Mass  may  be, 
they  will  always  be  late ;  and  I  am  afraid  these  persons  will 
also  be  too  late  to  enter  heaven.  By  coming  late  they  show 
disrespect  to  Our  Lord  and  distract  others  ;  and  to  avoid 
doing  so,  they  should,  when  late,  take  a  place  in  the  rear  of 
the  church.  When  you  are  very  late  for  one  Mass,  you  should 
wait  for  the  next — at  least,  for  as  much  of  the  next  as  you  did 
not  hear  in  the  first.  You  should  not,  however,  begrudge  a 
li-ttle  extra  time  to  God.  To  hear  Mass  properly,  you  should 
be  in  your  place  a  few  minutes  before  the  priest  comes  out, 
and  make  up  your  mind  what  blessing  you  will  ask,  or  for 
what  intention  you  desire  to  hear  the  Mass. 

''Having  others  under  their  charge."  Some  parents  are 
very  careless  about  their  children  attending  Mass,  especially 
on  holy-days.  Now,  they  must  remember  that  in  such  neg- 
lect the  sin  will  be  theirs  as  well  as  the  children's.  Again, 
masters  and  mistresses  do  not  at  times  give  their  workmen 
and  servants  sufficient  opportunity  to  hear  Mass,  above  all  on 
holy-days.  All  masters  and  mistresses  must  remember  that 
they  are  bound  not  only  to  give  their  servants  an  opportunity 
to  hear  Mass,  but  they  are  bound  as  far  as  they  conveniently 
can  to  see  that  they  embrace  the  opportunity,  just  as  they 
should  see  to  their  chiidren  lu  sucli  matters.     Catholics  h»v- 


336  On  the  First  and  Second  Commandments  of  the  Church. 

ing  in  their  employ  others,  such  as  engineers,  drivers,  con- 
ductors, etc.,  must  make  some  arrangement  between  their 
men  by  which  they  will  be  able  to  attend  Mass  on  Sundays 
and  holy-days.  The  same  holds  good  for  companies  and  cor- 
porations having  under  their  charge  a  large  force  of  men  who 
are  obliged  by  circumstances  to  work  on  Sundays. 

*  391  Q.  Why  were  holy-days  instituted  by  the 
Chxirch  ? 

A.  Holy-days  were  instituted  by  the  Church  to  re- 
call to  our  minds  the  great  mysteries  of  religion  and 
the  virtues  and  rewards  of  the  saints. 

For  just  the  same  reason  that  the  government  has  legal 
holidays.  What  would  the  people  of  this  country  know  or 
think  at  the  present  time  about  the  Declaration  of  Independ- 
ence and  all  connected  with  it,  if  they  did  not  celebrate  from 
childhood  every  year,  on  the  fourth  of  July,  the  great  day  on 
which  their  forefathers  claimed  to  be  free  and  independent 
from  the  nation  that  was  persecuting  them?  The  fourth  of 
July  keeps  alive  in  our  memory  the  struggles  of  our  ances- 
tors of  one  hundred  years  or  more  ago — their  great  battles, 
their  sufferings  and  triumph,  the  blessings  they  secured  for 
us,  and  for  which  we  praise  them.  In  like  manner,  the  feast 
of  the  Resurrection  of  Our  Lord  keeps  us  in  mind  of  the  sad 
condition  in  which  we  were  before  Our  Lord  redeemed  us, 
and  how  He  liberated  us  from  the  slavery  of  the  devil  and 
secured  for  us  so  many  wonderful  blessings.  Again,  what 
would  we  remember  about  George  Washington  if  we  did  not 
celebrate  his  birthday?  That  holiday  keeps  before  our  minds 
the  life  and  actions  of  that  great  man  and  all  he  did  for  our 
benefit.  So,  too,  when  we  celebrate  every  year  the  feast  of  a 
saint  in  the  Church,  it  keeps  before  our  minds  his  works  and 
all  that  he  did  for  God  and  the  Church,  and  makes  us  anxious 
to  imitate  his  virtues.  On  every  day  in  the  year  the  Church 
honors  some  mystery  of  our  holy  faith  or  some  saint  bv 


On  the  First  and  Second  Commandments  of  the  Church.  337 

Baying  Mass  all  over  the  world  in  honor  of  the  feast,  and  by 
obliging  the  priests  and  bishops  to  say  the  divine  office  for 
the  same  purpose.  The  feast-day  of  a  saint  is  generjvlly  the 
day  on  which  he  died;  because  that  is  considered  the  day  on 
which  he  entered  into  heaven — the  day  on  which  he  was 
born  into  the  new  world. 

The  "  divine  office  "  is  a  collection  of  prayers,  hymns,  les- 
sons, and  psalms  which  every  priest  and  bishop  must  read 
every  day  of  his  life.  As  it  is  said  each  day  in  honor  of  some 
particular  mystery  or  saint,  the  greater  part  of  it  differs  for 
each  day.  The  prayers  are  to  God,  asking  some  grace  or 
blessing  in  honor  of  the  saint — generally  such  graces  as  were 
granted  to  the  saint.  The  hymns  are  in  the  saint's  honor ; 
the  lessons  are  parts  of  the  Holy  Scripture,  or  an  account  of 
the  saint's  life  ;  and  the  psalms  are  those  beautiful  poems 
that  King  David  composed  and  sung  to  God.  The  divine 
office  is  the  prayer  of  the  universal  Church  for  its  children, 
and  if  a  priest  neglects  to  say  it  he  commits  a  mortal  sin.  It 
takes  about  an  hour  to  say  the  whole  divine  office,  but  it  is 
not  intended  to  be  said  all  at  once.  ■  It  is  so  divided  that  it  is 
said  at  three  times  in  the  day.  The  part  called  "Matins'* 
and  "Lauds"  is  said  very  early  in  the  morning  and  before 
Mass.  The  part  called  "  Little  Hours"  is  said  late,  m  the 
day  ;  and  the  part  called  "Vespers"  and  "Compline"  is  said 
in  the  afternoon.  See,  therefore,  how  anxious  the  Church  is 
for  the  good  of  its  children,  when  it  makes  its  bishops,  priests, 
and  religious  pray  daily  for  all  the  faithful,  and  send  up  in 
one  voice  the  same  prayer  to  the  throne  of  God. 

*  392  Q.  How  should  we  keep  the  holy-days   of  obli- 
gation ? 

A.  We   should  keep  the  holy-days  of  obligation  as 
we  should  keep  the  Sunday. 

393  Q.  "What  do  you  mean  by  fast-days? 
A.  By  fast-days  I  mean  days  on  which  we  are  allowed 
but  one  full  meal. 


338  On  the  First  and  Second  Commandments  of  the  Church, 

"  Cie  full  meal/'  with  a  collation,  or  very  light  meal  (eight 
ounces),  in  the  evening.  Tea,  coffee,  water,  or  liquids  taken 
at  this  collation  are  not  included  in  the  eight  ounces.  We 
are  also  allowed,  in  the  morning,  a  small  piece  of  hread 
(weighing  not  more  than  two  ounces)  and  a  cup  of  tea,  coffee, 
or  chocolate.  They,  therefore,  who  follow  the  above  regula- 
tions obey  the  precept  of  fasting.  If  it  is  more  convenient 
to  take  the  full  meal  in  the  evening  and  the  collation  at 
noon,  the  order  may  be  inverted  ;  but  flesh-meat  should  not 
be  eaten  by  those  who  are  obliged  to  fast  before  twelve 
o'clock  as  a  general  rule,  even  on  days  on  which  by  dispensa- 
tion it  is  allowed  at  the  principal  meal.  I  say  "  those  who  are 
obliged  to  last,"  because  they  who  are  excused  can,  where  the 
dispensation  is  granted,  use  flesh-meat  more  than  once  a  day 
and  at  any  hour,  on  days  when  it  is  allowed  to  all  at  the  prin- 
cipal meal.  I'ish  and  flesh  must  not  be  used  at  the  same  meal 
on  fast-days,  nor  even  on  the  Sundays  of  Lent. 

Those  who,  for  sufficient  reasons,  are  excused  from  the  ob- 
ligation of  fasting,  are  not  on  that  account  freed  from  the 
law  of  abstinence,  for  all  who  have  come  to  the  use  of  reason 
are  bound  to  abstain  from  flesh-meat  on  days  when  it  is  for- 
bidden. In  general,  the  following  persons  are  excused  from 
fasting:  (1)  those  who  are  not  yet  twenty-one  or  over  sixty 
years  of  age  ;  (2)  those  whose  infirmity,  condition,  or  occupa- 
tion renders  it  impossible  or  dangerous  for  them  to  fast.  If 
you  think  you  should  be  excused  from  fasting  or  abstaining, 
state  your  reasons  to  your  confessor  and  ask  his  advice.  Any 
day  on  which  the  Church  forbids  the  use  of  flesh-meat  be- 
comes the  same  as  Friday.  On  a  fast-day,  therefore,  you  have 
to  look  both  to  the  quantity  and  the  kind  of  food,  while  on 
a  day  of  abstinence — as  Friday — you  have  to  look  only  to  the 
kind,  and  may  take  as  much  as  you  please  of  anything  but 
flesh-meat.  Every  fast-day  is  a  day  of  abstinence,  but  every 
day  of  abstinence  is  not  a  fast-day. 

394  Q.  Whn+  do  you  mRun  >>y  days  of  ahstmence  J* 


On  the  First  and  Second  Commandments  of  the  Church.  339 

A.  By  days  of  abstinence  I  moan  days  on  which  we 
are  forbidden  to  eat  flesh-meat,  but  are  allowed  the 
usual  number  of  meals. 

395  Q.  Why  does  the  Church  command  us  to  fast 
and  abstain  ? 

A.  The  Church  commands  us  to  fast  and  abstain  in 
order  that  we  may  mortify  our  passions  and  satisfy  for 
our  sins. 

*•  Mortify  our  passions/'  keep  our  bodies  under  control, 
do  bodily  penance.  Remember  it  is  our  bodies  that  generally 
lead  us  into  sin;  if  therefore  we  punish  the  body  by  fasting 
and  mortification,  we  atone  for  the  sin,  and  thus  God  wipes 
out  a  part  of  the  temporal  punishment  due  to  it. 

*  396  Q.  Why  does  the  Church  command  us  to  abstain 
from  flesh-meat  on  Fridays? 

A.  The  Church  commands  us  to  abstain  from  flesh- 
meat  on  Fridays  in  honor  of  the  day  on  which  Oux 
Saviour  died. 


340  On  the  Thirdy  Fourth,  Fifth,  and  Sixth  Commandmerda, 


LESSON  THIRTY-SIXTH. 

ON  THE  THIRD,  FOURTH,  FIFTH,  AND  SIXTH  COMMAND 
MENTS  OF  THE  CHURCH. 

397  Q.  What  is  meant  by  the  command  of  confessing 
at  least  once  a  year? 

A.  By  the  command  of  confessing  at  least  once  a 
year  is  meant  that  we  are  obliged,  under  pain  of  mortal 
sin,  to  go  to  confession  within  the  year. 

"  Within  the  year  " — that  is,  the  time  between  your  con- 
fessions must  never  be  longer  than  a  year,  or  at  least  not 
longer  than  the  period  between  the  beginning  of  one  Easter- 
time  and  the  end  of  the  next.  All  persons  who  have  attained 
the  age  of  reason  are  bound  to  comply  with  this  precept,  and 
parents  should  remind  their  children  of  it. 

*  398  Q.  Should  we  confess  only  once  a  year? 
A.  We  should  confess  frequently,  if  we  wish  to  lead 
a  good  life. 

Some  seem  to  think  that  they  need  not  go  to  confession 
if  they  have  not  committed  sin  since  their  last  confession. 
Two  graces  are  given  in  penance,  as  you  already  know:  one, 
to  take  away  the  sins  confessed,  and  the  other,  to  strengthen 
us  against  temptation  and  enable  us  to  keep  our  good  resolu- 
tions. Now,  as  we  are  always  tempted,  we  should  go  fre- 
quently to  confession  to  get  the  grace  to  resist.  The  saints  used 
to  go  to  confession  very  frequently,  sometimes  every  day. 
They  used  to  go  when  tempted,  to  obtain  the  grace  to  resist 
and  to  expose  their  temptations  to  their  confessor  and  ask  his 
advice.  Again  the  Holy  Scripture  tells  us  that  the  just  man 
falls  seven  times;  and  "just  man  *'  in  Holy  Scripture  means 
a  very  good  man,  that  is,  one  doing  for  God,  his  neighbor,  and 
himself  what  he  ought  to  do.     St.  Joseph  is  called  in  the 


On  the  Third,  Fourth^  Fifth,  and  Sixth  Commandments.  341 

Scripture  a  *' just  man,"  and  he  was  the  foster-father  of  Our 
Lord.  Now,  if  the  good  man  falls  seven  times,  he  must  arise 
after  each  fall;  for  if  he  dia  not  get  up  after  the  first  fall,  he 
could  not  fall  the  second  time.  This  teaches  us  that  we  all 
commit  some  kind  of  sin,  at  least,  and  have  always  something 
to  confess  if  we  only  examine  our  conscience  closely.  It 
teaches  us  also  that  when  we  have  the  misfortune  to  fall  into 
sin,  we  should  rise  as  quickly  as  possible. 

*  399  Q.  Should  children  go  to  confession? 
A.  Children  should  go  to  confession  when  they  ar<* 
old   enough   to  commit   sin,  which  is  commonly   about 
the  age  of  seven  years. 

**  To  commit  sin  " — that  is,  when  they  know  the  difference 
between  good  and  evil. 

400  Q.  What  sin  does  Jie  commit  who  neglects  to  re- 
ceive Communion  during  the  Easter  time? 

A.  He  who  neglects  to  receive  Communion  during 
the  Easter  time  commits  a  mortal  sin. 

-401  Q.  What  is  the  Easter  time? 

A.  The  Easter  time  is,  in  this  country,  the  time  be- 
tween the  first  Sunday  of  Lent  and  Trinity  Sunday. 

Trinity  Sunday  is  the  eighth  Sunday  after  Easter.  There- 
fore the  whole  Easter-time  is  from  the  first  Sunday  of  Lent — 
that  is,  seven  weeks  before  Easter— to  Trinity  Sunday,  eight 
weeks  after  it,  or  fifteen  weeks  in  all;  and  any  one  who  does  not 
iro  to  holy  Communion  some  time  within  these  fifteen  weeks 
c^ommits  mortal  sin. 

402  Q.  Are  we  obliged  to  contribute  to  the  support 
of  our  pastors  ? 

A.  We  are  obliged  to  contribute  to  the  support  of  our 
pastors,  and  to  bear  out  share  in  the  expenses  of  the 
Church  and  school. 

And  any  charitable  institution  connected  with  the  Church. 
'Che  Holy  Land  was  tlivided  among  the  tribes  of  Israel,  who 


342  On  the  Third,  Fourth,  Fifth,  and  Sixth  Commandments. 

were  the  descendants  of  the  twelve  sons  of  Jacob.  Now, 
one  of  these  twelve  tribes  was  made  up  entirely  of  prii-sts 
and  persons  who  served  in  the  temple  of  God,  called  Levites. 
They  received  none  of  the  land,  but  were  to  be  supported 
by  the  other  eleven  tribes.  All  the  people  were  obliged 
by  the  law  to  give  what  they  called  first-fruits,  and  tithe* 
— that  is,  one  tenth  of  their  income  in  goods  or  money 
each  year  to  the  temple  for  its  support  and  the  sup 
port  of  those  who  served  it.  In  the  New  Law  no  definitb 
amount  is  assigned,  but  every  Christian  is  left  free  to  give 
what  he  can  to  God's  Church  according  to  his  generosity. 
But  if  God  left  you  free,  should  you  therefore  be  stingy  with 
Him  ?  Moreover,  all  that  we  have  comes  from  God,  and  should 
we  return  Him  the  least  and  the  worst  ?  For  every  alms  you 
give  for  God's  sake  He  can  send  you  a  hundred  blessings; 
and  what  you  refuse  to  give  to  His  Church  or  poor  He  can 
take  from  you  in  a  thousand  ways,  by  sending  misfortunes. 
We  read  in  the  Bible  (Gen.  iv.)  that  Adam's  sons,  Cain 
and  Abel,  both  offered  sacrifice  to  God.  Abel's  sacrifice  was 
pleasing,  but  Cain's  was  not.  Why?  Because, as  we  are  told, 
Cain  did  not  offer  to  God  the  best  he  had,  but  likely  the 
worst;  or  at  least,  he  offered  his  sacrifice  with  a  bad  disposition. 
Then  when  he  saw  that  his  brother's  saci-ifice  was  pleasing  to 
God,  being  filled  with  Jealousy,  he  killed  him;  and  in  punish- 
ment God  marked  him  and  condemned  him  to  be  a  wanderer  on 
the  face  of  the  earth.  We  are  told  he  was  always  afraid  of  being 
killed  by  every  one  he  saw.  See,  then,  what  comes  of  being 
nnwilling  to  be  generous  with  God.  What  we  give  Him  He 
does  not  need,  but  by  giving  we  worship  and  thank  Him.  Do 
not  people  in  the  world  often  give  presents  to  those  who  have 
done  them  a  favor,  that  they  may  thus  show  their  gratitude  ? 
Now,  God  is  always  doing  us  favors,  and  why  should  we  not 
show  our  gratitude  to  Him  by  giving  generously  in  His  honor? 
When  we  give  to  the  orphans,  etc.,  we  give  to  Him;  for  Ho 
says:  **  Whatsoever  you  give  to  these  little  ones  you  give  to 
Me.*'  Again,  when  Our  Lord  tells  what  will  happen  on  the  day 
of  judgment  (Matt.  xxv.  31,  etc.),  He  says,  the  Judge  will 
iivide  all  the  people  of  the  world  into  two  bodies;  the  good 


On  the  TMrdt  Fourth,,  Fifth,  and  Sixth  Commandments.  34B 

He  will  place  on  His  right  hand  and  the  wicked  on  His  left. 
Then  He  will  praise  the  good  for  what  they  did  and  welcome 
them  to  heaven;  but  to  the  wicked  He  will  say, "  Depart  from 
Me,  because  when  I  was  hungry  you  gave  Me  not  to  eat;  when 
I  was  thirsty  you  gave  Me  not  to  drink;  you  clothed  Me  not, 
etc.  And  then  the  wicked  shall  ask,  when  did  we  see  You  in 
want  and  not  relieve  You  ?  He  will  tell  them  that  He  consid- 
ered the  poor  just  the  same  as  Himself;  and  as  they  did  noth- 
ing for  His  poor,  they  did  nothing  for  Him. 

*  403  Q.  What  is  the  meaning  of  the  commandment 
not  to  marry  within  the  fourth  degree  of  kindred  ? 

A.  The  meaning  of  the  commandment  not  to  marry 
within  the  fourth  degree  of  kindred  is  that  no  one  is 
allowed  to  marry  another  within  the  fourth  degree  of 
blood  relationship. 

*' Fourth  degree."  What  relatives  are  in  the  fourth 
degree?  Brother  and  sister  are  in  the  first  degree;  first 
cousins  are  in  the  second  degree  ;  second  cousins  are  in  the 
third  degree ;  and  third  cousins  are  in  the  fourth  degree. 
Therefore  all  who  are  third  cousins  or  in  nearer  relationship 
cannot  be  married  without  a  dispensation  from  the  Church 
allowing  them  to  do  so.  A  dispensation  granted  by  the 
Church  is  a  permission  to  do  something  which  its  law  forbids. 
Since  it  made  the  law,  it  can  also  dispense  from  the  observ- 
ance of  it.  The  Church  could  not  give  permission  to  do  any- 
thing that  God's  law  forbids.  It  could  not,  for  example,  give 
permission  to  a  brother  and  sister  to  marry,  because  it  is  not 
alone  the  law  of  the  Church  but  God's  law  also  that  forbids 
that.  But  God's  law  does  not  forbid  first,  second,  or  third 
cousins  to  get  married;  but  the  Church's  law  forbids  it,  and 
thus  it  can  in  special  cases  dispense  from  such  laws.  God's 
law  is  called  also  the  natural  law.  You  must  be  very  careful 
not  to  confound  the  marriage  laws  that  the  Church  makes 
with  the  marriage  laws  that  the  State  makes.  When  the 
State  makes  laws  contrary  to  the  laws  of  God  or  of  the  Church, 
you  cannot  obey  such  laws  without  committing  grievous  sin. 
For  instance,  the  State  allows  divorce  ^  it  allows  nersons.  to 


JJ44  On  the  Third,  Fourth,  Fifth,  and  ISixth  Commandments. 

marry  again  if  the  husband  or  wife  has  been  sentenced  to  im- 
prisonment for  life;  it  does  not  recognize  all  the  impediments 
to  marriage  laid  down  by  the  Church.  Such  laws  as  these 
Catholics  cannot  comply  with ;  but  when  the  State  makes  laws 
which  regard  only  the  civil  effects  of  marriage,  such  as  refer  to 
the  property  of  the  husband  or  wife,  the  inheritance  of  the 
children,  etc.,  laws,  in  a  word,  which  are  not  opposed  either  to 
the  laws  of  God  or  of  His  Church,  then  you  may  and  must 
obey  them  ;  for  the  authorities  of  the  government  are  our  law- 
ful superiors,  and  must  be  obeyed  in  all  that  is  not  sin.  What 
we  have  said  with  regard  to  the  marriage  laws  is  true  for  all 
the  rest.  Thus  the  civil  court  might,  on  account  of  some 
technicality,  free  you  legally  from  the  payment  of  a  debt; 
but  that  would  not  free  you  in  conscience  from  paying  what 
you  justly  owe.  Again,  the  court  might  legally  decide  in  your 
favor  in  an  unjust  suit ;  but  that  would  not  give  you  the  right 
in  conscience  to  keep  what  you  have  thus  fraudulently  or 
unjustly  obtained. 

*  404  What  is  the   meaning  of  the   command  not  to 
marry  privately? 

A.  The  command  not  to  marry  privately  means  that 
none  should  marry  without  the  blessing  of  God's  priests 
or  without  witnesses. 

If  persons  wishing  to  be  married  suspect  that  there  is  any 
impediment  existing  between  them,  they  should  express  their 
doubts  and  the  reasons  for  them  to  the  priest. 

Here  it  is  well  for  you  to  know  that  if  any  Catholic  goes 
to  be  married  before  a  Protestant  minister,  he  is,  by  the  laws 
of  the  Church  in  the  United  States,  excommunicated.  You 
must  know  excommunication  means  cut  oS  from  the  com- 
munion of  the  Church  and  the  body  of  the  faithful ;  cut  off 
from  the  sacraments  and  from  a  share  in  all  the  holy  Masses 
and  public  prayers  offered  by  the  Church  throughout  the 
world.  It  is  a  punishment  the  Church  inflicts  upon  its  diso- 
bedient children  who  will  not  repent  but  persist  in  wrong- 
doing. If  they  die  wilfully  excommunicated,  they  die  in 
mortal  sin,  and  no  Mass  or  fujieral  prayers  can  be  publicly  of- 


On  the  Third,  Fourth,  Fifth,  and  Sixth  Commandments.  345 

fered  for  them  ;  nor  can  they  be  buried  in  consecrated  ground. 
Besides  the  excommunicated,  there  are  others  who  cannot  be 
buried  in  consecrated  ground :  namely,  infants  or  others  who 
have  not  been  baptized;  those  who  deliberately  committed 
suicide;  those  who  have  publicly  lived  sinful  lives  and  evi- 
dently died  in  that  public  sin;  and  all  persons  who  are  not 
Catholics.  If  a  Catholic  who  is  not  publicly  a  sinner  dies 
suddenly,  we  cannot  judge  that  he  is  in  mortal  sin;  and  hence 
such  a  one  may  be  buried  in  consecrated  ground. 

It  is  the  desire  of  the  Church  that  all  its  faithful  children 
should  be  buried  in  the  ground  which  it  has  blessed  for  their 
remains;  and  wherever  it  is  possible  Catholics  must  have  their 
own  burying-ground. 

*  405  Q.  What  is  the  meaning  of  the  precept  not  tc 
solemnize  marriage  at  forbidden  times? 

A.  The  meaning  of  the  precept  not  to  solemnize 
marriage  at  forbidden  times  is  that  during  Lent  and 
Advent  the  marriage  ceremony  should  not  be  performed 
•with  pomp  or  a  nuptial  Mass. 

Persons  may  be  married  at  these  times  quietly,  wherever 
it  is  not  positively  forbidden  by  the  laws  of  the  diocese. 

*  406  Q.  What  is  the  nuptial  Mass  ? 

A,  The  nuptial  Mass  is  a  Mass  appointed  by  the 
Church  to  invoke  a  special  blessing  upon  the  married 
couple. 

It  is  a  Mass  especially  for  them  and  cannot  be  said  for  any 
one  else.  At  the  most  solemn  parts  of  the  Mass  the  priest 
turns  to  them  and  prays  that  God  may  bless  their  union. 

*  407  Q.  Should  Catholics  be  married  at  a  nuptial 
Mass? 

A.  Catholics  should  be  married  at  a  nuptial  Mass, 
because  they  thereby  show  greater  reverence  for  the 
holy  Sacrament  and  bring  richer  blessings  upon  their 
wedded  life. 

The  Church  wishes  to  give  to  the  marriage  of  its  children 
•bserving  its  laws  all  the  solemnity  possible,  and  to  im  press 


346  On  the  Third,  Fourth,  Fifth,  and  Sixth  Commandments. 

its  dignity  and  sanctity  so  deeply  upon  their  minds  that  they 
may  never  forget  the  solemn  pron  Ises  made  at  the  altar 
of  God.  The  thought  of  that  day  will  keep  them  from  sin. 
On  the  other  hand,  the  Church  shows  its  great  displeasure 
when  Catholics  do  not  keep  its  laws,  but  marry  persons  not 
of  their  own  religion.  At  a  mixed  marriage  the  couple  can- 
not be  married  in  the  church,  nor  even  in  the  sacristy ;  the 
priest  cannot  wear  a  surplice  or  stole  or  any  of  the  sacred 
vestments  of  the  Church ;  he  cannot  use  holy  water,  or  the 
sign  of  the  cross  ;  he  cannot  bless  the  ring  or  even  use  the 
Church's  language — Latin.  Everything  is  done  in  the  coldest 
manner,  to  remind  Catholics  that  they  are  doing  what  is  dis- 
pleasing to  their  mother  the  Church. 

Again  the  Church  wishes  its  children  to  prepare  for  the 
sacrament  of  matrimony  just  as  they  would  prepare  for  any 
other  sacrament — Penance,  Holy  Eucharist,  Holy  Orders, 
etc.  Imagine  a  boy  going  up  for  first  Communion  laughing, 
talking,  or  gazing  about  him,  without  any  thought  of  the 
great  sacrament  he  is  about  to  receive  ;  thinking  only  of  how 
he  appears  in  his  new  clothing,  of  those  who  are  present,  etc., 
and  spending  all  his  time  of  preparation  not  in  purifying  his 
soul,  but  in  adorning  his  body!  Think  of  him  returning 
from  holy  Communion  and  immediately  forgetting  Our  Lord! 
Now,  matrimony  is  deserving  of  all  the  respect  due  to  a  sacra- 
ment, and  hence  the  Church  wishes  all  its  children  to  be 
married  at  Mass;  or  at  least  in  the  morning.  It  does  not  like 
them  to  marry  in  the  evening,  and  go  to  the  reception  of  the 
sacrament  as  they  would  to  a  place  of  vain  amusement.  For 
on  such  occasions  they  cannot  show  the  proper  respect  in  the 
church,  and  possibly  turn  the  ceremony  into  an  occasion  of 
sin  for  all  who  attend ;  for  they  often  seem  to  forget  the  holi- 
ness of  the  place  and  the  respect  due  to  the  presence  of  Our 
Lord  upon  the  altar.  Indeed  it  should  be  remembered,  at 
whatever  time  the  marriage  takes  place,  that  conduct,  dress, 
and  all  else  must  be  in  keeping  with  the  dignity  of  the  place 
and  the  holiness  of  the  sacrament,  and  that  women  should  not 
come  into  the  church  with  uncovered  heads. 


On  the  Last  JvdgmerU  and  the  Besurrection,  etc.     347 


LESSON  THIRTY-SEVENTH. 

ON    THE    LAST    JUDGMENT    AND    THE    RESURRECTIOH 
HELL,  PURGATORY,  AND  HEAVEN. 

408  Q.  When  will  Christ  judge  us  ? 
A.  Christ  will  judge  us  immediately  after  ouj  death, 
and  on  the  last  day. 

"Immediately.'*  In  the  very  room  and  on  the  very  spot 
where  we  die,  we  shall  be  judged  in  an  instant,  and  even  before 
those  around  us  are  sure  that  we  are  really  dead.  When  we 
have  a  trial  or  judgment  in  one  of  our  courts,  we  see  the 
judge  listening,  the  lawyers  defending  or  trying  to  condemn, 
and  the  witnesses  for  or  against  the  person  accused.  We  are  in 
the  habit  of  imagining  something  of  the  same  kind  to  take 
place  in  the  judgment  of  God.  We  see  Almighty  God  seated 
on  His  throne  ;  our  angel  and  patron  saint  giving  their  testi- 
mony about  us — good  or  bad — and  then  we  hear  the  Judge 
pronounce  sentence.  This  takes  place,  but  not  in  the  way  we 
imagine,  for  God  needs  no  witnesses:  He  knows  all.  An  ex- 
ample will  probably  make  you  understand  better  what  really 
takes  place.  If  you  are  walking  over  a  very  muddy  road  on  ?, 
dark  night,  you  cannot  see  the  spattered  condition  of  your 
clothing;  but  if  you  come  suddenly  into  a  strong  light  you 
will  see  at  a  glance  the  state  in  which  you  are.  In  the  same 
way  the  soul  during  our  earthly  life  does  not  see  its  own  con- 
dition ;  but  when  it  comes  into  the  bright  light  of  God's  pres- 
ence, it  sees  in  an  instant  its  own  state  and  knows  what  its 
sentence  will  be.  It  goes  immediately  to  its  reward  or  pun- 
ishment. This  judgment  at  the  moment  of  our  death  will 
settle  our  fate  forever.  The  general  judgment  will  not 
change,  but  only  repeat,  the  sentence  before  the  whole  world. 
Oh.  how  we  should  prepare  for  that  awful  moment  J    See  that 


348     On  the  Last  Judgment  and  tJie  Resurrection,  etc. 

poor  sick  man  slowly  breathing  away  his  life.  All  his,  fiionds 
are  kneeling  around  him  praying;  now  he  becomoG  uncon- 
scious; now  the  death-rattle  sounds  in  his  throat:  nov/"  the 
eyes  are  fixed  and  glassy.  A  few  minutes  more  and  that 
poor  soul  will  stand  in  the  awful  presence  of  God,  to  give  an 
account  of  that  man's  whole  life — of  every  thought,  word,  and 
deed.  All  he  has  done  on  earth  will  be  spread  out  bo  for? 
him  like  a  great  picture.  He  will,  towards  the  end  of  his  \\lz, 
have  altogether  forgotten  perhaps  what  he  thought^  said,  or 
did  on  a  certain  day  and  hour — the  place  he  was  in  and  the 
sin  committed,  etc.;  but  at  that  moment  of  judgment  ho  will 
remember  all.  How  he  will  wish  he  had  been  good  1  How, 
then,  can  we  be  so  careless  now  about  a  matter  of  such,  impor- 
tance, when  we  are  absolutely  certain  that  we  too  rhall  be 
judged,  and  how  soon  we  know  not.  When  you  are  f.bout  to 
be  examined  on  what  you  have  learned  in  school  or  instructions 
in  six  months  or  a  year,  how  anxious  you  are  in  making  the 
necessary  preparation,  and  how  you  fear  you  might  not  pass, 
but  be  kept  back  for  a  while  1  How  delighted  you  would  be 
to  hear  that  a  very  deai-  friend,  and  one  who  knew  you  well, 
was  to  be  your  examiner!  Prepare  in  the  same  way  lor  the 
examination  you  have  to  stand  at  the  end  of  your  life.  Every 
day  you  can  make  a  preparation  by  examining  your  con- 
science on  the  sins  you  have  committed;  by  making  an  act  of 
contrition  for  them,  and  resolving  to  avoid  them  for  the 
future.  You  should  never  go  to  sleep  without  some  prepara- 
tion for  judgment.  But  aljovo  all,  try  to  become  better  ac- 
quainted with  your  Examiner — Our  Lord  Jesus  Christ;  try 
by  your  prayers  and  good  works  to  become  His  special  friend, 
and  when  your  judgment  comes  you  will  be  pleased  rather 
than  afraid  to  meet  Him. 

409  Q.  What  is  the  judgment  called  which  we  have 
to  undergo  immediately  after  death? 

A.  The  judgment  we  have  to  undergo  immediately 
after  death  is  called  the  Particular  Judgment. 

"  Particular,"  because  one  particular  person  is  judged. 


On  the  Last  Judgment  and  the  Resurrection,  etc.     349 

410  Q.  What  is  the  judgment  called  which  all  men 
have  to  undergo  on  the  last  day? 

A.  The  judgment  which  all  men  have  to  undergo  on 
the  last  day  is  called  the  General  Judgment. 

"  General,"  because  every  creature  gifted  with  intelligence 
will  be  judged  on  that  day — the  angels  of  heaven,  the  devils 
of  hell,  and  all  men,  women,  and  children  that  have  ever 
lived  upon  the  earth.  The  Holy  Scripture- gives  us  a  terri- 
ble account  of  that  awful  day  (Matt,  xxiv.,  xxv.).  On  some 
day — we  know  not  when,  it  might  be  to-morrow  for  all  we 
know — the  world  will  be  going  on  as  usual,  some  going  to 
school,  others  to  business;  some  seeking  pleasure,  others  suf- 
fering pain;  some  in  health,  others  in  sickness,  etc.  Sud- 
denly they  will  feel  the  earth  beginning  to  quake  and  trem- 
ble; they  will  see  the  ocean  in  great  fury,  and  will  be  terrified 
at  its  roar  as,  surging  and  foaming,  it  throws  its  mighty  waves 
high  in  air.  Then  the  sun  will  grow  red  and  begin  to 
darken;  a  horrid  glare  will  spread  over  the  earth,  beginning 
to  burn  up.  Then,  says  the  Holy  Scripture,  men  will  wither 
away  for  fear  of  what  is  coming;  they  will  call  upon  the 
mountains  to  fall  and  hide  them;  they  will  be  rushing  here 
and  there,  not  knowing  what  to  do.  Money  will  be  of  no 
value  then;  dress,  wealth,  fame,  power,  learning,  and  all  else 
will  be  useless,  for  at  that  moment  all  men  will  be  equal. 
Then  shall  be  heard  the  sound  of  the  angel's  great  trum- 
pet calling  all  to  judgment.  The  dead  shall  come  forth 
from  their  graves,  and  the  demons  rush  from  hell.  Then  all 
shall  see  our  blessed  Lord  coming  in  the  clouds  of  heaven  in 
great  power  and  majesty,  surrounded  by  countless  angels 
bearing  His  shining  cross  before  Him.  He  will  separate  the 
good  from  the  wicked ;  He  will  welcome  the  good  to  heaven 
and  condemn  the  wicked  to  hell.  The  sins  committed  shall 
be  made  public  before  all  present.  Imagine  your  feelings 
while  you  are  standing  in  that  great  multitude,  waiting  for 
the  separation  of  the  good  from  the  bad.  To  which  side  will 
you  be  sent?  Our  Lord  is  coming,  not  with  the  mild  coun- 
tenance of  a  saviour,  but  with  th^  Revere  look  of  a  judge.    As 


350     On  the  Last  Jvdgment  and  the  Resurrection,  etc. 

He  draws  nearer  and  nearer  to  you,  you  see  some  of  your  deai 
friends,  whom  you  thought  good  enough  upon  earth,  sent 
over  to  the  side  of  the  wicked;  you  see  others  tliat  you 
deemed  foolish  sent  with  the  good,  and  you  become  more 
anxious  every  instant  about  the  uncertainty  of  your  own  fate. 
You  see  fathers  and  mothers  sent  to  opposite  sides,  brothers 
and  sisters,  parents  and  children,  separated  forever.  Oh, 
what  a  terrible  moment  of  suspense!  How  you  will  wish  you 
had  been  better  and  always  lived  a  friend  of  God!  The  side 
you  will  be  on  depends  upon  what  yon  do  now,  and  you  can 
be  on  the  better  side  if  you  wish.  Do,  then,  in  your  life  what 
you  would  wish  to  have  done  at  that  terrible  moment.  Learn 
to  judge  yourself  frequently.  Say  this,  or  something  similar, 
to  yourself:  "Now  I  have  lived  twelve,  fifteen,  twenty,  or 
more  years;  if  that  judgment  came  to-day,  on  which  side  should 
I  be  ?  Probably  on  the  side  of  the  wicked.  If  then  I  spend 
the  rest  of  my  life  as  I  have  lived  in  the  past,  on  the  last  day 
I  shall  surely  be  with  the  wicked.  If  my  good  deeds  and  bad 
deeds  were  counted  to-day,  which  would  be  more  numerous? 
What,  then,  must  I  do  ?  It  will  not  be  enough  for  me 
simply  to  be  better  for  the  future — I  must  try  also  to  make 
amends  for  the  past.  If  a  man  wishing  to  complete  a 
journey  on  a  certain  time,  by  walking  a  fixed  number  of  miles 
each  day,  falls  behind  a  great  deal  on  one  day,  he  must  not 
only  walk  the  usual  number  of  miles  the  next,  but  must 
make  up  for  the  distance  lost  on  the  previous  day.  So  in 
our  journey  through  this  life  we  must  do  our  duty  each 
day  for  the  future,  and,  as  far  as  we  can,  make  up  for  what 
we  have  neglected  in  the  past. 

*411  Q.  Why   does    Christ  judge    men  immediately 
after  death? 

A.  Christ  judges   men    immediately   after   death   to 
reward  or  punish  them  according  to  their  deeds. 

412  Q.  What   are  the    rewards    or   punishments    ap- 
pointed for  men's  souls  after  the  Particular  Judgment? 
A.  The  rewards  or  punishments  appointed  for  men's 


On  the  Last  Judgment  and  the  Besurrection,  etc.     351 

souls  after  the  Particular  Judgment  are  heaven,  purga^ 
tory,  and  hell. 

413  Q.  What  is  hell? 

A.  Hell  is  a  state  to  which  the  wicked  are  con- 
demned, and  in  which  they  are  deprived  of  the  sight  of 
God  for  all  eternity,  and  are  in  dreadful  torments. 

"  Deprived  of  the  sight  of  God."  This  is  called  the  pain 
of  loss,  while  the  other  sufferings  the  damned  endure  are 
called  the  pai/i  of  sense — that  is,  of  the  senses.  The  pain  of 
loss  causes  the  unfortunate  souls  more  torment  than  all  their 
other  sufferings;  for  as  we  are  created  for  God  alone,  the  loss 
of  Him — our  last  end — is  the  most  dreadful  evil  that  can  be- 
fall us.  This  the  damned  realize,  and  know  that  their  souls 
will  be  tortured  by  a  perpetual  yearning  never  to  be  satisfied. 
This  is  aggravated  by  the  thought  of  how  easily  they  might 
have  been  saved,  and  how  foolishly  they  threw  away  their 
happiness  and  lost  all  for  some  miserable  pleasure  or  gratifica- 
tion, so  quickly  ended. 

Besides  this  remorse,  they  suffer  most  frightful  torments 
m  all  their  senses.  The  worst  sufferings  you  could  imagine 
would  not  be  as  bad  as  the  sufferings  of  the  damned  really 
are;  for  hell  must  be  the  opposite  of  heaven,  and  since  we 
cannot,  as  St.  Paul  says,  imagine  the  happiness  of  heaven, 
neither  can  we  imagine  the  misery  of  hell.  Sometimes  you 
will  find  frightful  descriptions  of  hell  in  religious  books,  that- 
tell  of  the  horrible  sights,  awful  sounds,  disgusting  stenches, 
and  excruciating  pains  the  lost  souls  endure.  Now,  all  these 
descriptions  are  given  rather  to  make  people  think  of  the  tor- 
ments of  hell  than  as  an  accurate  account  of  them.  No  mat- 
ter how  terrible  the  description  may  be,  it  is  never  as  bad  as  the 
reality.  AVe  know  that  the  damned  are  continually  tormented 
in  all  their  senses,  but  just  in  what  way  we  do  not  know.  We 
know  that  there  is  fire  in  hell,  but  it  is  entirely  different  from 
our  fire;  it  neither  gives  light  nor  consumes  what  it  burns,  and 
it  causes  greater  pain  than  the  fire  of  earth,  for  it  affects  both 
bodv  and  soul.    We  know  that  the  damned  will  never  see  God« 


352     On  the  Last  Judgment  and  the  Resurrection,  etc. 

and  there  will  never  be  an  end  to  their  torments.  Now,  all 
tills  is  contained  in  the  following:  Hell  is  the  absence  of 
everything  good  and  the  presence  of  everything  evil,  and  ii 
will  last  forever.  Now,  a  priest  coming  out  to  preach  on  hell 
would  not  say  to  the  people:  "Hell  is  the  absence  of 
everything  good  and  the  presence  of  everything  evil,  and  it 
will  last  forever,"  and  then  step  down  from  the  altar  and  say 
no  more.  He  must  give  a  fuller  explanation  to  those  who  are 
unable  to  think  for  themselves.  He  must  point  out  some  of 
the  evils  present  in  hell  and  some  of  the  good  tilings  absent, 
and  thus  teach  the  people  how  to  meditate  on  these  dreadful 
truths.  If,  then,  you  bear  in  mind  that  there  is  nothing  good 
in  hell  and  it  will  last  forever,  and  often  think  of  these  two 
points,  you  will  have  a  holy  fear  of  the  woful  place  and  a  dee^i 
sorrow  for  your  sins  which  expose  j-ou  to  the  danger  of  suffer- 
ing its  torments. 

It  should  be  enough,  therefore,  for  you  to  remember!  there 
is  nothing  good  in  hell,  and  it  will  last  forever.  Think  of 
anything  good  \'ou  please  and  it  cannot  be  found  in  hell.  Is 
light  good  ?  Yes.  Then  it  is  not  in  hell.  Is  hope  good  \ 
Yes.  Then  it  is  not  in  hell.  Is  true  friendship  good  ?  Yes. 
Then  it  is  not  in  hell.  There  the  damned  hate  one  another. 
There  the  poor  sufferers  curse  forever  those  who  led  them 
into  sin.  Hence,  persons  should  try  to  bring  back  to  a  good 
life  every  one  they  may  have  led  into  sin  or  scandalized  by  bad  • 
example. 

•414  Q.  What  is  purgatory? 
A.  Piirgatory  is  th6  state  in  which  those  suffer  for 
a  time  who  die  guilty  of  venial  sins,  or  without  having 
satisfied  for  the  punishment  due  to  their  sins. 

"Punishment" — that  is, temporal  punishment,  already  ex- 
plained to  you.  After  the  general  judgment  there  will  be 
heaven  and  hell,  but  no  purgatory,  for  there  will  be  no  men 
living  or  dying  upon  the  earth  in  its  present  condition  to  go 
there.  AH  will  be  dead  and  judged  and  sent  to  their  final 
abodes.  Those  in  purgatory  are  the  friends  of  God;  and  know- 
ing Him  as  thev  do  noWf  tjjev  wouid  not  go  into  His  holy  pres 


On  the  Last  ttudgment  and  tJie  Besurreciton,  etc.     353 

ence  with  the  slightest  stain  upon  their  souls;  still  they  are 
anxious  for  their  purgatory  to  be  ended  that  they  may  be 
with  God.  They  suiler,  we  are  told,  the  same  paius  of  sense 
as  the  damned;  but  they  suffer  willingly,  for  they  know  that 
it  is  making  them  more  pleasing  to  God,  and  that  one  day  it 
will  all  be  over  and  He  will  receive  them  into  heaven.  Their 
salvation  is  sure,  and  that  tliought  makes  them  happy.  If, 
therefore,  you  believe  any  of  your  friends  are  in  purgatory, 
you  should  help  them  all  you  can,  and  try  by  your  prayers  and 
good  works  to  shorten  their  time  of  suffering.  They  will 
help  you — though  they  cannot  help  themselves — by  their 
prayers.  And  oh,  when  they  are  admitted  into  heaven,  how 
they  will  pray  for  those  that  have  helped  them  out  of  purga- 
tory!. If  you  do  this  great  charity,  God  will,  when  you  die, 
put  it  in  some  good  person's  heart  to  pray  for  you  while  you 
suffer  in  purgatory.  There  must  be  a  purgatory,  for  one 
^ho  dies  with  the  slightest  stain  of  sin  upon  his  soul  cannot 
enter  heaven,  and  yet  God  would  not  send  liim  to  hell  for 
so  small  a  sin.  But  why  does  God  punish  those  He  loves.'' 
Why  does  He  not  forgive  everything  ?  He  punishes  because 
He  is  infinitely  just  and  true.  He  warned  them  that  if  they 
did  certain  things  they  would  bo  punished ;  and  they  did  them, 
and  God  must  keep  His  promise.  Moreover  He  is  just,  and 
must  give  to  every  one  exactly  what  he  deserves. 

*  415  Can  the  faithful  on  earth  help  the  souls  in  pur- 
gatory ? 

A.  The  faithful  on  earth  can  help  the  souls  in  pur- 
gatory by  their  prayers,  fasts,  almsdeeds;  by  indulg- 
ences, and  by  having  Masses  said  for  them. 

"416  Q.  If  every   one   is  judged   immediately  after 
death,  what  need  is  there  of  a  general  judgment  ? 

Ao  There  is  need  of  a  geneial  judgment,  though 
every  one  is  judged  immediately  after  death,  that  the 
providence  of  God,  which,  on  earth,  often  permits  the 
good  to  sufier  and  the  wicked  to  prosper,  may  in  the 
md  appear  just  befor«  all  meUo 


354     On  the  Last  Judgment  arid  the  Beaurrectioriy  etc 

**  Providence  of  God."  Sometimes  here  on  earth  we  sea  a 
good  man  always  in  want,  out  of  employment,  sickly,  unsuc- 
cessful in  all  his  undertakings,  while  his  neighbor,  who  is  a 
very  bad  man,  is  wealthy  and  prosperous,  and  seems  to  havo 
every  pleasure.  Why  this  is  so  we  cannot  understand  now> 
but  God's  reason  for  it  will  be  made  known  to  us  on  the  day 
of  judgment.  Sometimes  the  wicked  do  good  actions  here  on 
earth — help  the  poor,  or  contribute  to  some  charity,  for  in- 
stance; and  as  God  on  account  of  their  wickedness  cannot 
reward  them  in  the  next  world.  He  rewards  them  chiefly  in 
this  world  by  temporal  goods  and  pleasures.  For  all  their 
good  deeds  they  get  their  reward  in  this  world,  and  for  the 
evil  their  punishment  in  the  next.  The  good  man  who  suffers 
gets  all  his  reward  in  the  next  world,  and  even  his  sufferings 
here  atone  partly  for  the  evil  he  has  done. 

A  second  reason  for  a  general  judgment  is  to  show  the 
crimes  of  sinners  and  the  justice  of  their  punishment ;  also 
tliat  the  saints  may  have  all  their  good  works  made  known 
before  the  world  and  receive  the  glory  they  deserve.  On 
earth  these  saints  were  sometimes  considered  fools  and  treated 
as  criminals,  falsely  accused,  etc.,  and  now  the  whole  truth 
will  stand  out  before  the  world.  But  above  all,  the  general 
judgment  is  for  the  honor  and  glory  of  Our  Lord.  At  Hia 
first  coming  into  the  world  He  was  poor  and  weak;  many 
would  not  believe  Him  the  Son  of  God,  and  insulted  Him  as 
an  impostor.  He  was  falsely  accused,  treated  shamefully,  and 
was  put  to  death,  many  believing  Him  guilty  of  some  crime 
Kow  He  will  appear  before  all  as  He  really  is — their  Lord 
and  Master,  their  Creator  and  Judge.  How  they  will  tremble 
to  look  upon  Him  Whom  they  have  crucified  1  How  all  thoso 
who  have  denied  Him,  blasphemed  Him»  persecuted  Hi? 
Church,  and  the  like,  will  fear  when  they  see  Him  there  at, 
Judge!  How  they  will  realize  the  terrible  mistake  worldl''ig:i 
made! 


417  Q.  Will  our    bodies  share  in  the  reward  or  ptm^ 
ishment  of  our  souls  '' 


On  the  Last  Judgment  and  the  Eesurrection,  etc.     355 

A.  Our  bodies  will  share  in  the  reward  or  punish- 
ment of  our  souls,  because  through  the  resurrection 
they  will  again  be  united  to  them, 

*  418  Q.  In  what  state  will  the  bodies  of  the  just 
rise? 

A.  The  bodies  of  the  just  will  rise  glorious  and  im- 
mortal. 

We  honor  the  dead  body  and  treat  it  with  great  respect 
because  it  was  the  dwelling-place  of  the  soul  and  was  often 
nourished  with  the  sacraments;  also  because  it  will  rise  in 
glory  and  be  united  with  the  soul  in  the  presence  of  God 
forever.  For  these  reasons  we  use  incense  and  holy  water 
when  the  body  is  to  be  buried,  and  even  bless  the  ground  in 
which  it  is  laid.  "Faithful  departed"  means  all  those  who 
died  in  a  state  of  grace  and  who  are  in  heaven  or  purgatory. 
They  may  be  in  purgatory,  and  so  we  pray  for  them.  We 
pray  that  they  may  "rest  in  peace" — that  is  be  in  heaven, 
where  they  will  have  no  sufferings. 

*  410  Q.  Will  the  bodies  of  the  damned  also  rise? 

A.  The   bodies   of  the   damned   will   also   rise,   but 
they  will  be  condemned  to  eternal  punishment. 

420  Q.  What  is  heaven? 

A.  Heaven  is  the  state  of  everlasting  life  in  which  we 
see  God  face  to  face,  are  made  like  unto  Him  in  glory, 
and  enjoy  eternal  happiness. 

The  most  delightful  place  we  could  possibly  imagine  as 
heaven  would  not  be  near  what  it  really  is.  Everything  that 
is  good  is  there  and  forever,  and  we  shall  never  tire  of  its 
joys.  All  the  pleasures  and  beauties  of  earth  are  as  nothing 
compared  with  heaven;  and  though  we  think  we  can  imagine 
its  beauty  and  happiness  now,  we  shall  see  how  far  we  have 
been  from  the  real  truth  if  ever  we  reach  this  heavenly  home. 
"  God  face  to  face  " — that  is,  as  He  is.  We  shall  not  see  Him 
with  the  eyes  of  the  body,  but  of  the  soul.     That  we  may  se* 


356     On  the  Last  Judgment  and  the  Resurrection^  etc 

with  our  natural  eyes,  two  things  are  necessary:  first,  an  ob. 
jeet  to  look  at,  and  secondly,  light  to  see  it.  Now,  to  see  God 
in  heaven  we  need  a  special  ligbt,  which  is  called  the  "  light 
of  glory/'  God  Himself  gives  us  this  light  and  thus  enables  us 
to  see  Him  as  He  is.  This  beautiful  vision  of  God  in  heaven 
is  called  the  "beatific  vision,"  and  thus  our  whole  life  in 
heaven — our  joy  and  happiness — consists  in  the  enjoyment  of 
ithe  beatific  vision. 

*421  What  words  should  we  bear  always  in  mind? 
A.  We  should  bear  always  in  mind  these  words  of 
Our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ:  "What  doth  it 
profit  a  man  if  he  gain  the  whole  world  and  suffer  the 
loss  of  his  own  soul,  or  what  exchange  shall  a  man  give 
for  his  soul?  For  the  Son  of  man  shall  oome  in  the 
glory  of  His  Father  with  His  angels :  and  then  will  He 
render  to  every  man  according  to  his  works." 

What  does  it  benefit  the  poor  creatures  in  hell  to  have  been 
rich,  or  beautiful,  or  learned,  or  powerful  ?  If  they  had  been 
good,  it  was  all  that  was  necessary  to  escape  all  their  suffer- 
ings.  Is  there  anything  on  earth  that  they  would  not  give 
to  be  released  ?  Why,  then,  did  they  sell  their  souls  for  so 
little  while  on  earth  ?  The  present  is  the  only  time  you 
have  to  merit  heaven  and  escape  hell.  The  past  you  cannot 
recall,  and  of  the  future  you  are  not  sure.  Then  use  the  pres- 
ent well  and  decide  daily  whether  you  wish  to  be  in  heaven 
or  in  hell. 

Note. — Wherever  iu  the  foregoing  pages  explauations  have  been 
omitted  after  certain  questions  ox  answers  it  is  because  the  matter  they 
contain  has  been  explained  iu  some  preceding  question,  or  is  to  be  ex- 
plained in  some  following  question,  or  is  clear  enough  in  itself  -without 
explanation.  The  exolanations  of  such  questions  or  answers  can  b% 
easily  found  by  referring  to  the  index 


4i^iJE8TiONS  OK  THE  EXPLANATIONS 


The  Lor^s  Prayer. 

1.  Who  made  the  Lord's  Prayer  ? 

2"  Why  do  we  say  "  our"  and  not  "my"  Father? 

S.  Why  do  we  call  God  " Father"? 

4.  What    person  of    the  Blessed  Trinity  is  meant  by  "  Fattier  * 
n  the  Lord's  Prayer? 

5.  Was  God  called  "  Father  "  before  the  time  of  Our  Lord  ?    Why! 

6.  Why  do  we  say  "Who  art  in  heaven,"  if  God  is  everywhere? 

7.  What  does  "  hallowed  "  mean  ?  . 

8.  What  do  we  ask  for  by  "  Thy  kingdom  come  "? 

9.  What  does  "  Thy  kingdom"  mean  here  ? 

10.  Who  do  God's  will  iu  heaven? 

11.  What  do  we  ask  for  by  "  our  daily  bread  "? 

12.  Why  do  we  say  "  daily  "  ? 

13.  What  do  "  trespasses"  mean  ? 

14.  What  do  we  mean  by  "  as  we  forgive  those  who  trespass  against 
as"? 

15.  What  example  did  Our  Lord  give  ? 

16.  What  is  temptation  ? 

17.  Does  God  lempt  us  to  sin? 

18  Is  it  a  sin  to  be  tempted  ? 

19  Are  there  any  tempters  besides  the  devil? 

20.  Should  we  seek  temptation  ? 

21.  What  does  "Amen"  mean? 

22.  What  does  "  Christian"  mean? 

23.  What  makes  us  Christians? 

24.  What  does  "  doctrine  "  mean  ? 

The  Angelical  Salutation. 

25.  How  many  part8  in  the  Hail  Mary  ? 

26.  What  part  did  the  Angel  Gabriel  make  ? 

27.  When  did  he  make  it? 

88.  How  did  Mary  know  what  the  angel's  words  meantf 

807 


S58  Questions  on  the  Explanations. 

29.  What  part  of  the  Hail  Mary  did  St.  Elizabeth  make  ? 

80.  Who  was  St.  Elizabeth's  son  ? 

81.  Why  is  Mary  called  "blessed  amongst  women"? 
83.  What  part  of  the  Hail  Mary  did  the  Church  make? 
83.  What  does  "  hail  "  mean  ? 

84  Why  do  we  say  "  full  of  grace"? 

85.  Why  is  Mary  called  "  holy"  ? 

86.  Why  do  we  need  Clary's  prayers  at  the  hour  of  death? 
37.  What  is  the  Angel  us? 

88.  What  does  "  the  Word  "  mean  ? 

39.  What  does  "  made  flesh"  mean  in  the  third  part  of  the  Angelus 

40.  What  is  the  Litany  of  the  Blessed  Virgin? 

41    Are  there  other  litanies  besides  the  Litany  of  the  Blessed  Virgin' 

The  Apostles'  Creed. 

42.  What  is  a  creed? 

43.  Who  were  the  apostles? 

44.  Were  the  apostles  bishops  or  priests? 

45.  How  do  you  know  ? 

46.  Who  were  the  disciples  of  Our  Lord  ? 

47.  Why  did  the  apostles  make  the  creed  ? 

48.  How  many  articles  or  parts  in  the  Apostles'  Creed? 

49.  What  does  "  Creator  "  mean  ? 

50.  By  what  names  is  Our  Lord  called  ? 

51.  How  many  sons  had  God  the  Father? 

52.  Why  do  we  say  "died  "  instead  of  "  was  killed"? 

53.  Why  do  we  say  "  He  was  buried"  ? 

54.  Is  Limbo  the  same  as  purgatory?    Why? 

55.  Who  were  in  Limbo  at  the  lime  Our  Lord  was  crucified? 

56.  Name  some  goml  men  who  lived  before  Christ. 

57.  Did  Our  Lord's  body  descend  into  Limbo? 

58.  Was  Our  Lord  three  full  dnys  in  the  holy  sepulchre? 

59.  How  can  you  prove  they  could  not  put  Our  Lord  to  death  unless 
He  permitted  it  ? 

60.  Why  do  we  say  "  right  hand  of  God  "  when  God  has  no  handsf 

61.  What  do  you  mean  by  "  judge  the  living  and  the  dead  "} 

62.  Who  are  "  the  living"? 

63.  Who  are  "  the  dead  "  mentioned  here  ? 

64.  Wha'  are  ghosts  ? 

65.  Are  ttiere  any  ?  • 

66.  What  do  you  mean  by  th»  " Church  Militant"? 
b7.  Who  are  its  members  ? 

o8.  Who  are  the  enemies  of  our  salvntion? 

39.  Why  does  the  devil  wish  to  keep  us  out  of  heaven? 


Questions  on  the  Explanations.  359 

70.  What  do  we  mean  when  we  say  "  the  world  "  is  one  of  our  spiritual 
enemies  ? 

71.  Have  all  the  saints  their  bodies  in  heaven  ? 

72.  Who  are  in  heaven  in  their  bodies  at  present  ? 

73.  What  is  meant  by  our  "  concupiscence  "? 

74.  Which  tempts  us  most  to  sin,  our  soul  or  our  body?    Why? 

75.  Why  did  God  leave  concupiscence  in  us  ? 

76.  What  do  we  mean  by  "  the  Church  Suffering"? 

77.  Who  are  its  members  ? 

78.  Why  are  souls  in  purgatory  ? 

79.  What  do  you  mean  by  "  the  Church  Triumphant  "? 

80.  Who  are  its  members? 

81.  Are  there  any  saints  in  heaven  whose  names  we  do  not  know  f 

82.  Who  are  saints  ? 

83.  What  is  the  difference  between  a  saint  and  an  angel  ? 

84.  Why  does  the  Church  canonize  holy  persons? 

85.  Does  canonization  make  the  person  a  saint? 

86.  How  does  the  Church  canonize  a  saint  ? 

87.  Explain  the  "communion  of  saints." 

88.  What  is  the  difference  between  beatification  and  canonization? 

89.  How  is  the  resurrection  of  the  body  possible  ? 

90.  What  is  death? 

91.  What  does  "  life  everlasting"  mean  ? 

92.  How  many  fathers  had  Our  Lord  ?    Who  were  they? 

93.  How  many  mothers  had  He  ? 

94.  Of  what  religion  was  Pontius  Pilate? 

95.  Are  all  in  heaven  saints  ? 

The  Confiteor  and  Acta. 

96.  In  how  many  ways  can  we  sin  ? 

97.  What  should  we  think  of  when  we  say  the  Confiteor? 

98.  What  is  the  substance  of  the  "  act  of  faith"? 

99.  Why  do  we  find  different  acts  of  faith  ? 

100.  What  is  the  substance  of  the  "act  of  hope"? 

101.  What  is  the  substance  of  the  "act  of  love"? 

102.  Do  an  "  act  of  love"  and  an  "  act  of  charity"  mean  the  same? 

103.  How  do  you  show  that  they  are  the  same  ? 

104.  What  makes  us  help  others  ? 

105.  How  may  we  be  charitable  to  our  neighbor  ? 

106.  What  is  the  substance  of  the  "  act  of  contrition"? 

107.  What  does  "grace  "  at  meals  mean? 

108.  Why  should  we  say  grace  at  meals  ? 

109.  Why  should  we  be  content  with  our  food  ? 

110.  Is  the  Apostles'  Creed  an  act  of  faith  ? 


^60  Questions  on  the  Explanations. 

111.  Did  John  tlie  Baptist  institute  the  Sacrament  of  Baptism? 
113    In  giving  Baptism,  can  one  pour  the  water  and  another  say  ih. , 
words  ? 

CATECHISM. 

Lesson  First. 

113.  What  is  a  catechism  ? 

114.  What  does  our  Catechism  contain? 

115.  Why  should  we  learn  the  Catechism? 

116.  What  do  we  mean  by  the  "  end  of  man  "? 

117.  For  what  end  was  man  created  ? 

118.  In  what  respect  are  all  men  equal? 

119.  What  is  "  woman"? 

120.  In  the  first  question,  what  does  "world"  mean? 

121.  What  is  a  creature? 

122.  Is  every  invisible  thing  a  spirit? 

123.  Of  what  use  is  reason  to  us? 

124.  What  makes  man  different  from  all  other  animals? 

125.  Have  any  brute  animals  reason? 

126.  How  do  you  know  brute  animals  have  not  reason? 

127.  Can  we  learn  all  truths  by  our  reason  alone? 

128.  What  is  revelation? 

129.  What  is  "free  will  "  in  man? 

130.  Have  brute  animals  "  free  will "? 

131.  Why  is  it  necessary  for  us  to  know  God? 

132.  What  does  "worship"  mean? 

133.  How  do  we  know  when  we  love  God  above  all? 

134.  Does  the  Apostles'  Creed  contain  all  the  truths  we  must  believe? 

135.  Name  some  truths  not  mentioned  in  it. 

136.  Is  a  tree  a  creature? 

Lesson  Second. 

137.  What  is  a  spirit? 

138.  What  does  "infinite"  mean? 

139.  Why  does  God  watch  over  us? 

140.  Why  is  it  necessary  for  God  to  watch  over  us? 

141.  Why  must  God  be  "  just"  as  well  as  "merciful  "? 

Lesson  Third. 

142.  What  does  "supreme"  mean? 

143.  When  are  two  persons  said  to  be  equal? 

144.  From  whom  does  authority  come? 


Questions  on  the  Explanations.  361 

145.  Is  there  any  difference  in  the  ages  of  God  the  Father  and  God 
the  Son? 

146.  Do  5rst.  second,  and  third  in  the  Blessed  Trinity  mean  that  ene 
poison  was  before  the  other?  .      .     -.^j; 

147.  Why  must  we  believe  mysteries? 

148.  Must  we  understand  everything  we  believe?  ;    „^f 

Lesson  Fourth. 

149.  How  may  the  things  God  created  be  classed? 

150.  Why  did  God  create  angels? 

151.  If  angels  havre  no  bodies,  how  can  they  appear? 

152.  Are  the  angels  all  equal  in  dignity  ? 

153.  How  many  classes  of  angels  are  there? 

154.  What  did  the  Archangel  Michael  do? 

155.  What  did  the  Archangel  Gabriel  do? 

156.  Who  gave  the  angels  their  names  ? 

157.  What  are  the  duties  of  the  angels? 

158.  What  does  our  angel  guardian  do  for  us? 

159.  How  do  you  know  that  the  angels  offer  our  prayers  and  good 
works  to  God  ? 

160.  Give  a  short  history  of  Tobias. 

161.  What  do  we  mean  by  "  Jacob's  ladder"? 

163.  Are  there  other  guardian  angels  besides  the  guardian  angels  of 
persons? 

163.  Name  some  persons  to  whom  angels  appeared. 

164.  Were  angels  ever  sent  to  punish  men? 

165.  If  God  watches  over  us,  why  should  angels  guard  us? 

166.  What  was  the  devil's  name  before  he  was  cast  out  of  heaven? 

167.  Why  was  he  cast  outr 

168.  Is  the  Blessed  Virgin  only  a  creature?    Why? 

Lenson  F^fiK 

169.  How  did  God  create  Eve? 

170.  What  relation  was  Eve  to  Adam? 

171.  Were  Adam  and  Eve  created  at  the  sjime  time? 
173.  What  was  the  "  Garden  of  Paradise"? 

173.  How  did  Adam  commit  his  first  sin? 

174.  How  was  Eve  tempted  to  disobey  God? 

175.  In  what  way  do  we  sometimes  imitate  Eve's  conduct? 

176.  Why  does  the  devil  tempt  us? 

177.  What  were  the  effects  of  Adam's  sin  ? 

178.  Why  do  we  suffer  for  the  sin  of  our  first  parents? 

179.  What  did  Adam  lose  by  his  sin  ? 


362  Questions  on  tJie  Explanations. 

180.  What  do  you  mean  when  you  say  Adam's  will  was  weakened  by 
sin? 

181.  Can  we  always  overcome  temptation  if  we  wish? 

183.  Why  was  the  Blessed  Virgin  preserved  from  original  sia  ? 
Lesson  Sixth. 

183.  How  is  sin  divided  ? 

184.  In  what  ways  can  we  commit  actual  sin? 

185.  What  is  a  sin  of  omission  ?    Give  an  example. 

186.  How  is  heaven  a  reward  ? 

187.  How  can  we  merit  it  ? 

188.  Are  all  religions  equally  good  ?    Why? 

189.  What  do  you  mean  by  a  person's  "  vocation"? 

190.  How  are  we  to  know  our  vocation? 

191.  How  should  parents  act  with  regard  to  their  children's  vocation? 

192.  When  is  a  soul  said  to  be  dead? 

193.  How  can  we  judge  whether  a  thing  is  sinful  or  not 

194.  What  is  a  material  sin  ? 

195.  Why  is  it  wrong  to  judge  others  guilty  of  sin  ? 

196.  Why  does  venial  sin  lessen  the  love  of  God  in  our  hearts  ? 

197.  Why  are  pride,  covetousness,  etc.,  called  "  capital  sins"? 

198.  What  is  meant  by  our  "  predominant"  or  "ruling  "sin? 

199.  What  is  pride? 

200.  Why  should  we  take  care  of  our  bodies? 

201.  What  sins  follow  pride? 

202.  What  is  covetousness? 

♦  203.  What  sins  follow  covetousness? 

204.  What  is  lust? 

205.  What  sins  follow  lust? 

206.  What  is  gluttony  ? 

207.  What  kind  of  sin  is  drunkenness  ? 

208.  How  can  we  commit  gluttony  by  eating? 

209.  How  can  we  commit  gluttony  by  drinking? 

210.  What  sins  does  the  drunkard  commit  ? 

211.  What  three  great  sins  should  you  always  guard  against  ? 

212.  Why  are  drunkenness,  dishonesty,  and  impurity  so  dangerous? 

213.  What  is  envy? 

214.  How  do  we  commit  the  sin  of  sloth  ? 

215.  How  can  we  best  destroy  sin  in  our  souls? 

216.  Should  we  cease  striving  to  be  good,  if  we  seem  to  be  making  no 
improvement  ?    Why  ? 

Lesson  Seventh. 

217.  What  does  "  incarnation"  mean  ? 

218.  What  does  "redemption"  mean? 


Questions  on  the  Explanations.  363 

219.  Who  are  slaves? 

220.  How  were  we  in  slavery  by  the  sin  of  Adam? 

221.  What  price  did  Our  Lord  pay  to  redeem  us  ? 

222.  Did  Our  Lord  leave  us  any  means  of  being  redeemed  more  than 
once? 

223.  What  does  "  abandon"  mean  ? 

224.  Has  heaven  really  gates  ? 

225.  What  are  the  ' '  gates  of  heaven"  ? 

226.  Is  Our  Lord  now  in  heaven  as  God  or  as  man  ? 

227.  Who  was  Our  Lord's  foster-father  ? 

228.  What  is  a  foster-father? 

229.  How  many  years  from  the  time  Adam  sinned  till  the  Redeemer 
came? 

230.  Why  did  God  allow  so  long  a  time  to  pass  before  redeeming  us' 

231.  What  was  the  Deluge  ? 

232.  When  and  why  did  God  send  it  ? 

233.  Who  were  saved  from  the  Deluge  ?    How  ? 

234.  What  animals  did  Noe  have  in  the  ark  ? 

235.  What  were  the  "  clean  animals"  ?    Name  some. 

236.  Why  did  he  have  more  "  clean"  than  "  unclean"  animals? 

237.  How  long  did  Noe  spend  in  making  the  ark  ? 

238.  How  old  was  Adam  when  he  died  ? 

239.  Who  was  the  oldest  man  ? 

240.  What  was  his  age  ? 

241.  How  did  the  Deluge  come  upon  the  earth  ? 

242.  How  long  did  the  ark  float  upon  the  waters? 

243.  How  did  Noe  learn  that  the  waters  were  going  down  ? 

244.  What  was  the  condition  of  men  before  the  coming  of  Our  Lord 
■    245.  When  and  to  whom  did  God  promise  the  Redeemer  ? 

246.  What  did  the  prophets  foretell  about  Christ  ? 

247.  Why  was  the  Redeemer  not  welcomed  by  all  when  He  came  ? 

248.  What  day  of  the  year  is  Annunciation  day  ? 

249.  How  could  the  good  people  of  the  Old  Law  be  saved  by  the 
merits  of  Christ,  when  Christ  was  not  yet  born  ? 

250.  In  what  kind  of  a  stable  was  Our  Lord  born  ? 

251.  Why  did  the  Blessed  Virgin  and  St.  Joseph  go  to  Bethlehem  be- 
fore the  birth  of  Our  Lord  ? 

252.  Who  were  the  Magi  ? 

253.  What  brought  them  to  Bethlehem  ? 

254.  Why  did  King  Herod  wish  to  find  the  Infant  Jesus  ? 

255.  On  what  feast  do  we  commemorate  the  adoration  of  the  Magi  i 

256.  At  what  time  of  the  year  is  the  Epiphany  ? 

257.  What  is  the  feast  of  " Holy  Innocents"? 
858.  When  does  it  come  ?  .    . 


364  Questions  on  the  Explanations. 

259.  Give  a  sliort  history  of  Our  Lord's  life. 

260.  Whiit  do  we  mean  by  His  "  hidden  life"? 

261.  What  do  we  meuu  by  His  "  public  life"  ? 

262.  How  old  was  Our  Lord  when  He  began  His  public  life? 

263.  What  do  we  know  of  Our  Lord's  hidden  life? 

264.  Why  did  He  lead  a  hidden  life  for  so  many  years? 

265.  Docs  "  mankind  "  mean  men  or  women  ? 

266.  Had  Our  Lord  any  brothers  or  sisters  ? 

267.  What  did  the  Angel  Gabriel  say  at  the  Annunciation? 

Lesson  Eiglith. 

268.  What  do  you  mean  by  Our  Lord's  "  Passion"? 

269.  When  did  it  begin  and  when  did  it  end  ? 

270.  Give  an  account  of  Our  Lord's  Passion. 

271.  Where  was  Gethsemani  or  the  Garden  of  Olives? 

272.  Who  went  into  it  with  Our  Lord  ? 

273.  What  did  Our  Lord  do  in  this  garden  ? 

274.  What  else  happened  there  ? 

275.  What  caused  Our  Lord's  sufferings  in  the  garden  ? 

276.  Why  could  Chiist's  body  suffer  greater  pain  than  ours  ? 

277.  What  do  we  mean  by  the  "agony  in  the  garden"? 

278.  Who  betrayed  Our  Lord? 

279.  How  did  the  Jews  act  unjustly  in  the  trial  of  Our  Lord? 

280.  What  was  the  "  scourging  at  the  pillar  "? 

281.  What  was  the  "crowning  with  thorns"? 

282.  What  happened  at  the  deatli  of  Our  Lord? 

283.  Where  was  Calvary? 

284.  Why  were  no  criminals  put  to  death  in  Jerusalem? 

285.  How  was  the  temple  of  Jerusalem  divided? 

286.  What  was  the  "  Holy  of  Holies"? 

287.  What  was  the  "  Ark  of  the  Covenant,"  and  what  did  it  contain? 

288.  Of  what  were  the  ark  and  its  contents  figures? 

289.  What  was  the  veil  of  the  temple? 

290.  Why  was  this  veil  rent  asunder  at  the  death  of  Our  Lord? 

291.  What  does  Calvary  mean  ? 

292.  Why  was  Our  Lord  crucified  between  thieves  ? 

293.  Why  do  we  call  one  of  these  the  "  penitent  thief  "? 

294.  Why  did  Christ  suffer  more  than  was  necessary? 

295.  What  is  a  sepulchre  ? 

296.  How  was  Our  Lord  buried  ? 

297.  What  did  the  Jews  coimt  the  beginning  and  the  end  of  their  day? 

298.  Was  the  Jewish  religion  ever  the-  true  religion  ? 

299.  What  is  a  miracle? 


Questions  on  the  Explanations,  365 

300.  What  does  a  miracle  prove? 

801.  What  miracles  did  Our  Lord  perform  ? 

302.  What  was  His  greatest? 

303.  What  are  the  qualities  of  a  glorified  body? 

304.  Show  that  Our  Lord's  body  had  all  these  qualities. 

305.  What  was  the  "  Transfiguration  of  Our  Lord"?    Describe  it 

306.  Who  were  present  at  it? 

307.  What  happened  on  the  way  to  Emmaus  ? 

308.  What  benefit  is  derived  from  Thomas  the  apostle  doubting  th9 
resurrection  of  Our  Lord  ? 

309.  Will  all  who  rise  on  the  last  day  have  glorified  bodies? 

310.  What  does  the  "stigmata  of  Our  Lord"  mean? 

311.  Did  any  one  ever  have  it? 

313.  Was  Our  Lord  visible  to  every  one  during  the  forty  days  aftef 
His  resurrection? 

318.  About  how  many  times  and  to  whom  did  He  appear  during  the 
forty  days? 

314.  Describe  Our  Lord's  ascension. 

315.  Did  Christ  live  always  at  Bethlehem  ?  .    ' 

Lesson  Ninth. 

316.  Did  the  Holy  Ghost  ever  appear? 
817.  Wlien  and  under  what  forms? 

318.  What  does  Whitsunday  mean? 

319.  What  does  Pentecost  mean? 

320.  What  effect  did  the  coming  of  the  Holy  Ghost  have  upon  the 
apostles? 

321.  How  many  temples  had  the  Jews? 

322.  What  was  a  "  synagogue"? 

323.  What  was  done  in  the  synagogues  ? 

324.  How  did  the  synagogues  differ  from  the  temple? 

325.  What  did  the  feast  of  the  Pasch  or  Passover  commemorate? 
826.  Give  a  short  history  of  Moses? 

327.  How  did  the  Israelites  come  to  be  in  Egypt  ? 

828.  Give  an  account  of  their  sufferings  in  Egypt  ? 

329.  How  were  they  delivered  or  liberated  ? 

330.  Give  a  short  account  of  Joseph  and  his  family  ? 

381.  Wliy  did  Joseph's  brothers  wish  to  put  him  to  death? 

833.  What  did  they  do  to  hide  their  crime? 

333.  What  did  the  King  of  Egypt  dream  ?  ' 

834.  What  did  his  dream  mean  ? 

335.  What  do  we  learn  from  the  life  of  Joseph  in  Egypt? 

336.  How  was  Moses  saved  on  the  bank  of  the  Nile  ? 

337.  What  was  the  "  burning  bush  "  that  Moses  saw  J 


366  Questions  on  the  Explanations. 

888.  Why  did  God  command  Moses  to  remove  his  shoes  before  com- 
ing to  the  "burning  bush  "? 

339.  Who  went  with  Moses  to  deliver  the  Israelites? 

840.  What  signs  did  God  give  Moses  to  show  King  Pharao? 

341.  What  did  the  king's  magicians  do? 

842.  What  were  "  the  ten  plagues  of  Egypt "? 

343.  Describe  each  plague. 

344.  Why  did  God  send  them  ? 

345.  What  was  the  "  Paschal  Lamb  "? 

346.  Of  what  was  it  a  figure? 

347.  What  happened  to  the  Israelites  and  Egyptians  at  the  Red  Sea? 

348.  How  long  were  the  Israelites  in  the  desert? 

349.  What  was  tlie  "  manna  "? 

350.  Why  were  the  Israelites  so  long  in  the  desert? 

351.  What  do  you  mean  by  the  "gift  of  tongues"? 

352.  Why  did  God  perform  more  miracles  in  the  first  ages  of  the 
Church  than  now  ? 

353.  How  and  where  was  St.  Peter  put  to  death? 

354.  How  did  the  other  apostles  die  ? 

355.  St.  Paul? 

856.  What  did  the  apostles  prove  by  suffering  death  for  tlieir  faith? 

Lesson  Tenth. 

357.  What  do  we  mean  by  an  effect  ? 

358.  What  does  "supernatural"  mean? 
369.  What  is  merit? 

360.  What  is  a  virtue  ? 
861.  What  is  a  vice? 

362.  Does  habit  excuse  us  for  the  sins  committed  through  xt? 

363.  When  will  habit  excuse  us  for  the  sin  ? 

364.  Why  do  we  believe  revealed  truths  ? 

865.  Who  is  our  neighbor  ? 

866.  What  example  did  Our  Lord  give  to  explain  this  ? 
367.  How  do  we  love  our  neighbor  as  ourselves? 

868.  Why  should  we  love  our  neighbor  ? 

869.  Can  we  merit  the  grace  of  perseverance? 

Lesson  Elevetith. 

870.  When  did  men  begin  to  speak  different  langufcges? 

871.  Who  were  the  prophets? 

872.  Give  a  short  history  of  religion  before  the  time  of  Christ 
373.  What  are  the  chief  works  of  the  Church  ? 

874.  Why  ardour  churches  holy? 


Questions  on  the  Explanations.  367 

375.  What  are  the  catacombs,  and  why  were  they  made? 

376.  What  are  altar  stones? 

377.  Why  are  relics  placed  in  them? 

378.  How  many  general  persecutions  of  the  Church  were  there  ? 

379.  Tell  what  you  know  of  these  persecutions? 

380.  What  lessons  do  we  learn  from  the  sufferings  of  the  early  Chris- 
tians ? 

381.  Who  are  "lawful  pastors"? 

383.  Could  any  one  be  Pope  without  being  Bishop  of  Rome? 

383.  What  does  "  vicar  "  mean  ? 

384.  Wliy  are  Catholics  called  Roman  ? 

385.  What  do  we  mean  by  the  "  soul  of  the  Church"? 


Lesson  Twe^th. 

386.  What  is  an  attribute  ? 

387.  What  is  authority  ? 

388.  Why  is  it  sinful  to  resist  lawful  authority? 

389.  What  does  "cathedra  "  mean  ? 

390.  Why  is  the  bishop's  church  called  cathedral  ? 

391.  How  do  we  know  when  the  Pope  speaks  "ex  cathedra "? 

392.  What  is  required  that  the  Pope  may  so  speak  ? 

393.  Is  the  Pope  infallible  in  everything  he  says? 

394.  What  do  you  mean  by  "faith  and  morals  "? 

395.  How  many  popes  from  St.  Peter  to  Leo  XIH.? 

396.  Why  should  we  have  the  greatest  respect  for  the  opinions  of  the 
Holy  Father  on  any  subject? 

397.  Why  must  the  Pope  sometimes  speak  on  political  matters  ? 

398.  Can  the  Pope  commit  sin  ? 

399.  What  do  we  mean  by  the  "  temporal  power  "  of  the  Pope  ? 

400.  How  did  he  acquire  it,  and  how  did  he  lose  it? 

401.  Why  has  he  need  of  it  ? 

402.  How  is  the  "temporal  power  "  useful  to  the  Church? 

403.  What  is  "Peter's  pence " ? 

404.  Does  the  Church  change  its  doctrines? 

405.  How  can  you  show  that  the  Church  is  one  in  government  and 
doctrine? 

406.  What  is  the  hierarchy  of  the  Church  ? 

407.  Could  a  person  be  a  Catholic  and  not  believe  all  the  Church 
teaches  ? 

408.  Why  are  Protestants  so  called  ? 

409.  Why  does  the  Church  use  Latin  as  its  language  ? 

410.  Why  does  the  Church  rlefine  some  truths? 


368  Questions  on  the  Explanations. 

411.  Does  the  Church  by  defining  truths  make  new  doctrines  ? 

412.  Give  a  short  history  of  Luther  ? 

413.  Why  was  he  cut  off  from  the  true  Church? 

414.  Why  did  many  follow  him? 

415.  How  did  tlie  first  Protestants  act  towards  the  Church? 

416.  What  foolish  excuses  do  some  give  for  not  becoming  Catholics? 

417.  Why  must  the  true  Church  be  visible? 

418.  Who  are  heathens  ? 

419.  Who  were  the  "  publicans  "  mentioned  by  Our  Lord' 

Lesson  Thirteenth. 

430.  What  three  things  are  necessary  to  make  a  sacrament? 

421.  What  is  the  outward  sign  in  Baptism  ? 

422.  Why  is  water  used  in  Baptism  ? 

423.  What  is  the  outward  sign  in  ConfirmstJOD? 

424.  Why  is  oil  used  in  Confirmation? 

425.  What  is  the  use  of  the  outward  sign  in  the  sacraments  ? 

426.  In  what  ways  does  the  life  of  the  soul  resemble  the  life  of  the 
body? 

427.  What  does  a  "  sacrament  of  the  dead "  mean? 

428.  In  what  ways  can  we  commit  sacrilege  ? 

429.  What  is  the  sacramental  grace  given  in  Penance  ? 

430.  What  are    the   "right  dispositions"  for    Penance,   foV    Holy 
Eucharist  ? 

431.  What  is  conditional  baptism,  and  when  is  it  given? 

432.  Can  all  the  sacraments  be  given  conditionally? 

433.  What  is  the  outward  sign  in  matrimony? 

434.  Can  a  bishop  give  all  the  sacraments  ? 

435.  Can  a  priest? 

436.  Can  a  person  receive  all  the  sacrameui?? 

437.  Can  any  of  the  sacraments  be  given  to  ^Xic  de^d  ? 

Lesson  Fourteenth. 

438.  What  is  an  heir? 

439.  Why  is  the  Bible  called  the  Old  and  New  TesUwent? 

440.  What  does  the  Old  Testament  contain  ? 

441.  What  does  the  New  Testament  show? 

442.  What  is  the  difference  between  Baptism  and  Pen94?ce  in  the  re- 
mission of  the  guilt  and  punishment  ? 

443.  Could  a  person  gain  an  indulgence  immediately  aftei  fsaptism  ? 
Why? 

444.  What  does  the  "  temporal  ouuishment"  for  sin  mean? 


Questions  on  the  Explanation/}.  369 

445.  "Where  will  persons  go  who  have  never  sinned  and  who  die  with- 
out Baptism  ? 

446.  What  do  we  mean  by  ",the  ordinary  minister  "  of  a  sacrament? 

447.  Can  you  baptize  an  infant  when  its  parents  are  unwilling? 

448.  What  is  private  Baptism? 

449.  How  is  it  given  ? 

450.  What  ceremonies  are  used  in  solemn  Baptism  ? 

451.  What  do  they  signify  ? 

452.  What  is  the  baptistery? 

453.  What  do  we  mean  by  the  "  pomps  "  of  the  devil? 

454.  What  is  martyrdom  ? 

455.  Who  ate  catechumens  ? 

456.  What  is  necessary  that  persons  may  be  really  martyrs? 

457.  What  is  meant  by  "  patron  saint  "  ? 

458.  On  what  day  is  a  saint's  feast  kept  by  the  Church? 

459.  What  does  "  sponsors"  mean?    Who  are  sponsors  by  proxy? 

460.  With  whom  do  godparents  contract  relationship? 

461.  What  names  should  be  given  in  Baptism? 

Lesson  Fifteenth. 

462.  What  does  balm  in  the  chrism  signify? 

463.  Why  should  we  be  proud  of  the  Catholic  religion? 

464.  When  are  we  required  to  profess  our  religion  ? 

Lesson  Sixteenth. 

465.  Why  is  the  devil  wiser  than  we  are? 

466.  Who  made  the  Beatitudes? 

467.  Where  did  Our  Lord  generally  preach? 

468.  What  do  the  Beatitudes  teach? 

469.  How  is  a  person  "  poor  in  spirit "? 

470.  How  can  the  rich  be  "  poor  in  spirit"? 

471.  Explain  the  other  Beatitudes? 

Lesson  Seventeenth. 

472.  How  does  the  institution  of  Penance  show  the  goodness  of  Our 
Lord? 

473.  What  is  absolution  ? 

474.  How  do  you  know  Our  Lord  could  forgive  sins  ? 

475.  How  docs  the  power  to  forgive  sins  imply  the  obligation  of  going 
to  confession? 

476    How  do  we  prepare  for  confession? 


370  Questions  on  the  Exptanations. 

477.  What  is  the  best  method  of  examining  our  conscience  ? 

478.  What  is  the  most  important  part  of  the  Sacrament  of  Penanct 

479.  What  kind  of  sorrow  should  we  have  for  our  sins  ? 

480.  When  should  you  say  the  penance  given  in  confession  ? 

Lesson  Eighteenth. 

481.  When  is  our  contrition  perfect? 
I     482.  What  is  attrition  ? 

483.  How  many  kinds  of  occasions  of  sin  are  there? 

484.  Why  must  we  avoid  occasions  of  sin? 

Lesson  Nineteenth. 

485.  Who  is  a  "  duly  authorized  "  priest  ? 

486.  How  can  a  dumb  man  make  bis  confession? 

487.  What  can  one  do  who  cannot  remember  liis  sins  in  confession  i 

488.  How  can  persons  whose  language  the  priest  cannot  understand 
confess  if  they  are  in  danger  of  death? 

489.  Is  it  wrong  to  accuse  ourselves  of  sins  we  have  not  committed' 

490.  Why  is  it  foolish  to  conceal  sins  in  confession? 

491.  How  were  the  ancient  Christian  churches  divided? 

492.  How  did  the  early  Christians  do  penance? 

493.  Explain  the  temporal  and  eternal  punishment  for  sin. 

494.  Is  your  confession  worthless  if  you  forget  to  say  your  ]r»en 
ance? 

495.  What  is  Lent? 

496.  What  is  alms-giving? 

497.  How  can  we  distinguish  between  spiritual  and  corporal  works  o! 
mercy  ? 

498.  When  are  we  obliged  to  admonish  the  sinner? 

499.  What  were  the  crusades? 

500.  Why  were  they  commenced? 

501.  How  many  crusades  were  there? 

502.  How  long  did  they  last  ? 

503.  Why  were  those  who  took  part  in  these  expeditions  calted  au- 
saders? 

504.  What  is  a  pilgrim  ? 

505.  How  have  we  been  relieved  from  doing  many  of  «he  works  of 
mercy  ourselves? 

506.  Who  are  religious  ? 

507.  What  is  a  hermit? 

508.  What  is  a  general  confession  ? 

509.  When  and  why  should  we  make  it? 
610.  Who  are  scrupulous  persons? 


Questions  on  the  Explanations.  371 

Lesson  Twentieth. 

511.  When  is  it  well  to  add  to  our  confession  a  sin  of  our  past  life? 

512.  What  duties  does  the  priest  perform  in  the  confessional? 

513.  Show  how  he  is  judge,  father,  teacher,  and  physician  ? 

514.  Why  is  it  well  to  confess  always  to  the  same  priest  ? 

515.  Can  you  have  half  your  sins  forgiven? 

616.   When  will  perfect  contrition  blot  out  mortal  sint 

Lesson  Twenty-First. 

517.  How  does  God  reward  us  for  good  works  done  in  a  state  of 
mortal  sin? 

518.  Is  it  easy  to  gain  a  plenary  indulgence  ?    Why  ? 

519.  What  works  are  generally  enjoined  for  indulgences? 

520.  What  does  praying  for  a  "  person's  intention  "  mean? 

521.  How  can  we  have  the  intention  of  gaining  an  indulgence? 

522.  What  does  "  an  indulgence  of  40  days,"  etc.,  mean  ? 

523.  Why  did  the  early  Christians  do  more  severe  penance  than  w« 
do? 

524.  Are  indulgences  attached  to  anything  but  prayers  ? 

Lesson  Twenty-Second. 

525.  What  does  "  Eucharist  "  mean  ? 

526.  What  is  the  difference  between  Holy  Eucharist  and  Holy  Com, 
munion? 

527.  What  did  Our  Lord  do  at  the  marriage  in  Cana? 

528.  Is  Our  Lord's  body  in  the  Holy  Eucharist  living  or  dead  ? 

529.  How  do  you  know  you  receive  both  the  body  and  the  blood  of 
Our  Lord  under  the  appearance  of  bread  alone? 

530.  Why  does  the  Church  not  give  the  Holy  Eucharist  to  the  people 
under  the  appearance  of  wine  also  ? 

531.  Could  it  do  so?    Did  it  ever  do  it ?       - 

532.  How  long  does  Our  Lord  remain  in  the  Holy  Communion? 

533.  What  is  the  ciborium  ? 

534.  At  what  part  of  the  Mass  are  the  words  of  consecration  said  ? 

535.  What  are  the  parts  of  the  Mass  ? 

536.  What  is  the  sacristy  ? 

537.  What  does  the  priest  prepare  for  Mass  ? 

538.  What  is  the  chalice  ? 

539.  What  is  the  paten  ? 

540.  What  is  the  purificator  ? 

541.  What  is  the  pall? 

542.  What  is  the  host  7 


372  Questions  on  the  Explanations. 

543.  Where  does  the  priest  get  the  host  ? 

544.  Wbat  are  tbe  different  vestments  used  at  Mass  called  ? 

545.  What  do  they  signify? 

546.  What  is  tlie  "  Offertory  "  in  the  Mass? 

547.  When  does  the  "  Canon  "  of  the  Mass  begin  ? 

548.  What  is  tbe  "  Elevation  "  in  the  Mass? 

549.  Where  does  the  priest  get  the  Blessed  Sacrament  he  gives  to  tbe 
people  ? 

550.  What  is  the  tabernacle  ? 

551.  What  is  Benediction  of  the  Blessed  Sacrament? 
,    552.  What  is  the  monstrance  used  at  Benediction  ? 

553.  Why  should  we  be  anxious  to  attend  Benediction? 

554.  What  is  the  cope  ? 

555.  What  is  the  humeral,  or  Benediction  veil  ? 

556.  Why  does  the  priest  wear  vestments  ? 

557.  What  do  their  colors  signify  ? 

558.  Can  Holy  Communion  be  given  in  the  afternoon  ? 

559.  What  is  the  Holy  Eucharist  called  when  received  by  a  peTsoL 
who  is  not  fasting  ? 

560.  Can  the  priest  say  Mass  in  the  evening  ?    Why? 

561.  Why  does  the  priest  genuflect,  etc.,  during  Mass  ? 

Lesaun  Twenty-Third. 

562.  What  should  we  do  if  we  break  our  fast  before  Holy  Communioo*' 

563.  When  is  Holy  Communion  called  the  "  Viaticum"  ? 

564.  Who  offered  the  first  Sacrifice  of  the  Holy  Mass  ? 

Lesson  Twenty-Fourth. 

565.  When  is  the  Holy  Eucharist  a  sacrifice  ? 

566.  When  a  sacrament  ? 

567.  What  was  the  temple  of  the  Pantheon  in  Kome  ? 

568.  Who  are  pagans,  idolaters,  heathens  ? 

569.  How  many  kinds  of  sacrifice  had  the  Israelites  ? 

570.  How  is  the  Mass  a  sacrifice  ? 

571.  What  is  the  league  of  the  Sacred  Heart? 

572.  Why  was  it  established  ? 

573.  What  was  the  origin  of  offering  the  priest  money  for  celebrating 
Mass  for  your  intention  ? 

574.  What  is  the  sin  of  simony  ? 

575.  Why  is  it  so  called  ? 

576.  How  are  the  fruits  of  the  Mass  divided  ? 

577.  What  is  a  spiritual  Communion  ? 

578.  How  is  it  made  ? 


Questions  on  the  Explanation's.  373 

Lesson  Trjoenty-Fifth. 

579.  What  does  ' '  unction  "  mean  ? 

580.  How  often  in  their  lives  are  Catholics  anointed  ? 

581.  Is  it  called  Extreme  Unction  even  when  the  person  recovers  after 
receiving  it  ? 

682.  "What  parts  of  the  body  are  anointed  in  Extreme  Unction  ? 

583.  When  should  the  priest  be  sent  for  in  cases  of  sickness  ? 

584.  What  should  you  do  if  the  sick  Catholic  does  not  wish  or  refuses 
to  see  the  priest  ? 

585.  How  is  sickness  a  benefit  to  some  ? 

586.  What  sacraments  are  never  given  in  the  church  ? 

587.  What  things  should  you  prepare  when  the  priest  is  coming  to 
give  the  Viaticum  or  Extreme  Unction  in  your  house  ? 

588.  How  is  the  Blessed  Sacrament  carried  to  the  sick  in  Catholic 
countries  ? 

589.  Who  are  the  "other  ministers  of  the  Church, "  besides  bishops 
and  priests  ? 

590.  What  is  the  tonsure  ? 

591.  Of  wliat  does  the  tonsure  remind  the  priest? 

593.  What  are  the  duties  and  privileges  of  these  other  ministers  of  the 
Church  ? 

593.  How  many  kinds  of  Masses  are  there  ? 

594.  Do  they  differ  in  value,  one  being  better  than  another? 

595.  Who  is  meant  by  the  "  celebrant"  of  the  Mass  ? 

596.  What  does  the  "  master  of  ceremonies  "do? 

597.  What  is  a  Requiem  Mass  ? 

598.  Why  is  it  so  called  ? 

599.  What  is  Vespers  ? 

600.  Is  it  a  mortal  sin  to  be  willingly  absent  from  Vespers  ? 

601.  Will  Vespers  take  the  place  of  Mass  on  Sundays  for  those  who 
do  not  attend  Mass? 

602.  Who  are  cardinals?  " 

603.  What  are  their  duties? 

604.  Who  is  a  monsiguor  ? 

605.  Who  is  a  vicar  general  ? 

606.  What  is  a  diocese  ? 

607.  What  is  a  parish  ? 

608.  Does  "rector"  and  "pastor"  mean  the  same? 

609.  What  do  we  mean  by  "  Suffragan  Bishops  "? 

610.  What  is  the  pallium  ? 

611.  Who  can  wear  ••■' «  v  ' 


374  Questions  on  the  Explanations. 

Lesson  Twenty-Sixth. 

612.  When  are  persons  lawfully  married  ? 

613.  When  was  marriage  first  instituted? 

614.  What  sin  is  it  to  marry  unlawfully  ? 

615.  What  are  "impediments  to  marriage "? 

616.  What  things  should  persons  tell  the  priest  when  they  are  making 
arrangements  for  marriage  ? 

617.  Can  persons  marry  invalidly  without  knowing  it? 

618.  What  evils  follow  divorce  ? 

619.  Why  should  children  study  ? 

620.  What  is  meant  by  the  "  civil  effects  of  marriage  "  ? 

621.  Which  are  the  chief  evils  of  ' '  mixed  marriage  "  ? 

622.  What  is  a  "mixed  marriage  "? 

623.  When  are  motives  for  marriage  "worthy  "? 

624.  How  should  persons  make  a  choice  for  marriage? 

625.  How  are  parents  sometimes  guilty  of  injustice  to  their  children 
in  case  of  marriage  ? 

626.  What  is  holy  oil  ? 

627.  When  is  it  blessed  ? 

628.  Can  a  priest  bless  it  in  case  of  necessity  ? 

629.  How  many  kinds  of  holy  oil  are  there  ? 
680.  For  what  are  they  used  ? 

631.  In  the  administration  of  what  sacraments  is  oil  used? 

632.  Can  persons  receive  the  sacrament  of  matrimony  more  than  oucc  ? 

633.  Where  and  at  what  time  of  the  day  should  Catholics  be  married? 

634.  What  is  balm? 

635.  Was  there  any  sacrament  of  matrimony  before  the  time  of  Our 
Lord? 

636.  Were  the  people  of  the  Old  Law  validly  married  ? 

637.  How  did  their  marriage  differ  from  Christian  marriage  ? 

Lesson  Ttoenty-Seventh. 

638.  Can  the  Church  change  the  number  of  sacramentals  ?    Why? 

639.  Why  is  it  necessary  to  bless  yourself  properly? 

640.  When  are  candles  blessed  in  the  Church? 

641.  Of  what  do  candles  on  the  altar  remind  us? 

642.  When  are  ashes  blessed  in  the  Church  ? 
648.  Of  what  do  they  remind  us? 

644  Of  what  do  palms  remind  us? 

645.  What  is  the  difference  between  a  cross  and  a  crucifix  ? 

64«.  What  is  the  Rosary  ? 

647.  How  do  we  say  the  beads 'r 

648.  What  is  meant  by  "mysteries  of  the  Rosary  "? 
%9  How  many  mysteries  of  the  Rosary  are  there  ? 


Qitestions  on  the  Exjdanations.  376 

650.  How  are  they  divided  ? 

651.  Name  the  different  mysteries  of  the  Rosary? 

652.  What  is  the  Magnificat  ? 

653.  Who  baptized  Our  Lord  ? 

654.  "Was  the  baptism  by  John  the  Baptist  a  sacrament  ?    Why? 

655.  To  whom  did  Our  Lord  give  an  example  by  His  hidden  or 
private  life  ? 

656.  What  did  the  Church  do  for  slaves? 

657.  What  do  the  letters  "I.  N.  R.  I."  over  the  cross  mean  ? 

658.  Did  Our  Lord  claim  t,o  be  king  of  the  Jews? 

659.  Why  was  Our  Lord  put  to  death? 

660.  With  whom  did  the  Blessed  Virgin  live  after  the  death  of 
Our  Lord? 

661.  Who  wa«  St.  John  the  Evangelist? 

662.  What  is  the  Apocalypse? 

663.  About  how  long  did  the  Blessed  Virgin  live  on  earth  after  the 
Ascension  of  Our  Lord? 

664.  What  is  meant  by  the  "Assumption"  of  the  Blessed  Virgin? 

665.  What  proof  have  we  of  it? 

666.  On  what  days  are  the  different  mysteries  of  the  Rosary  said? 

667.  What  does  "  I.  H.  S."  with  a  cross  over  it  mean? 

668.  What  is  the  scapular,  and  why  do  we  wear  it? 

669.  What  is  the  brown  scapular  called? 

670.  How  many  kinds  of  scapulars  are  there  ? 

671.  What  are  the  ' '  seven  dolors"  of  the  Blessed  Virgin? — Name  them. 

672.  What  are  seven- dolor  beads  ? 

673.  What  are  "  religious  orders"  ? 

674.  What  vows  do  the  members  of  religious  orders  take' 

675.  Why  were  religious  orders  founded  ? 

(576.  Why  are  there  different  kinds  of  religious  orders? 

Lesson  Twenty-Eighth. 

677.  How  many  kinds  of  prayer  are  there?   " 

678.  What  is  "  meditation  "  ? 

679.  What  should  we  do  before  praying  ? 

680.  What  do  you  know  of  St.  Monica? 

681.  Of  St.  Augustine  ? 

682.  Why  does  God  not  always  grant  our  prayers? 

683.  If  prayer  is  necessary  for  salvation,  how  can  infairts  be  saved 
who  die  without  having  prayed? 

Lesson  Twenty-Ninth. 

684.  Were  people  obliged  to  keep  the  Commandments  before  the  time 
at  iloRe&i 


376  Questions  on  ike  Explanations. 

685.  How  maoy  kinds  of  laws  had  tlie  Israelites? 

686.  When  were  these  l.iws  abolished  ? 

687.  How  were  the  Commandments  given  to  Moses? 
6b8.  What  was  manna? 

689.  What  is  the  difference  between  the  Commandments  of  God  and 
the  Commandiuenls  of  tlie  Church? 

690.  What  does  "  love  tliy  neighbor  as  thyself  "  mean? 

Lesson  Thirtieth. 

691 .  How  did  the  Israelites  come  to  worship  false  gods? 

692.  How  do  we  sometimes  woi-ship  strange  gods? 

693.  What  are  "  fortune-tellers  "? 

694.  Why  is  going  to  fortune-tellers  a  sin? 

695.  What  are  spells,  charms? 

696.  Are  medals,  scapulars,  etc.,  worn  about  us  charms? 

697.  What  are  dreams  ? 

698.  Did  God  ever  use  them  to  make  known  His  will  ? 

699.  Why  does  He  not  use  them  now  ? 

700.  What  are  mediums  and  spiritists? 

701.  How  do  bad  Catholics  do  injury  to  the  Church? 

702.  Whj'  did  the  Christian  religion  spresid  so  rapidly? 

703.  Who   are  atheists,    deists,    infidels,  heretics,   apostates,   schls 
matics  ? 

704.  Are  all  religious  equally  true  ? 

'  705.  Why  is  presumption  a  great  sin? 

706.  How  are  we  frequently  presumptuous? 

707.  Are  heretics  Christians? 

Lesson  Thirty- First. 

708.  What  help  does  God  give  us  to  sjive  our  souls? 

709.  How  do  we  honor  God  by  praying  to  the  saints? 
»  710.  What  is  a  relic? 

711.  Have  we  any  relics  of  Our  Lord's  body?    Why? 

713.  Why  does  the  Catholic  religion  suit  all  classes  of  persons? 

713.  Why  are  there  so  many  kinds  of  Protestants? 

714.  Does  the  Bible  contnin  all  the  truths  of  our  religion? 

715.  How  did  God  honor  the  relics  of  saints?    Give  an  example. 

716.  When  did  the  Jewish  religion  cease  to  be  the  true  religion? 

Lesson  Thirty-Second. 

717.  Is  it  a  sin  to  use  the  words  of  Scripture  in  a  bad  sense? 

718.  What  is  a  perjurer  ? 

719.  Why  was  John  the  Baptist  put  to  death? 


Queblions  on  the  Uxplanations,  vT7 

720.  Why  is  it  sinful  to  be  a  member  of  a  secret  society? 

721.  When  is  an  oath  rash? 

722.  What  is  the  difference  between  blasphemy  and  cursiagl 
72o.  Can  we  blaspheme  by  action  ? 

724.  Tell  what  happened  to  Julian  the  Apostate  ? 

725.  Are  there  any  holy-days  nut  of  ooligatiou  ? 

726.  How  is  the  Sunday  well  kep!,? 

727  What  is  a  real  Cathode  newspaper? 

728.  What  books  should  be  found  in  every  Catholic  family? 

729.  What  is  meant  by  the  Old  Law  ? 

730.  What  by  the  New  / 

731.  Are  we  bouud  to  keep  an  unlawful  oath? 

Lefsan  Thirty- Third. 

732.  What  do  «&  mean  by  "magistrates"? 

733.  What  should  we  remember  when  we  are  unjustly  punished? 

734.  How  does  suffering  make  us  more  like  to  Our  Lord  and  His 
Blessed  Mother? 

735.  Why  did  the  Blessed  Virgin  suffer  so  many  trials  upon  earth? 

736.  What  is  contempt? 

737.  What  is  stubbornness? 

738    Why  is  suicide  a  mortal  sin? 

739.  What  is  revenge? 

740.  Why  should  we  be  most  careful  about  the  Sixth  Commandment  1 

741.  Why  should  we  guard  against  bad  reading? 

742.  Why  should  we  seek  advice? 

Lesson  Thirty-Fourth.    ""  '^':''^**^  ff-s  !iii  .^'r. 

748.  In  how  m,any  ways  may  we  violate  the  Seventh  Commandment? 

744.  Why  is  it  unkind  and  ungrateful  not  to  pay  our  debts? 

745.  Is  the  receiver  of  stolen  goods  as  bad  as  the  thief?    .     r.     ... 

746.  In  how  many  ways  may  we  share  in  the  sin  of  another? 

747.  If  you  bought  an  article  not  knowing  that  it  was  stolen,  would 
you  be  obliged  to  give  it  up  to  its  owner? 

748.  What  must  you  do  with  anything  you  find?  ,v 

749.  What  must  you  do  if  you  have  lost  or  destroyed  the  article  you 
stole?  , 

750.  Can  we  always  make  restitution  by  giving  to  the  poor? 

751.  Is  it  a  sin  to  delay  making  restitution? 

752.  What  must  a  person  do  who  cannot  restore? 

753.  What  will  excuse  us  for  telling  another's  faults? 

754.  How  can  you  know  when  you  have  iniured  the  character  ol 
auulhcr? 


378  Questions  on  the  Explanations, 

755.  What  la  detraction? 

756.  What  is  calumny? 

757.  What  is  slander? 

758.  How  can  you  make  reparation  for  injuring  another's  character? 

759.  Are  you  bound  to  do  so? 

760.  What  is  "rash  judgment "? 

761.  What  is  backbiting? 

762.  Is  it  sinful  to  listen  to  backbiting,  slander,  etc.  ? 

763.  Why  is  it  wrong  to  tell  another's  secrets  or  read  another's  letters? 

764.  What  does  "  covet  "  mean? 

Lesson  Thirty-FiJIh. 

765   What  is  meant  by  a  "serious  reason  "  for  missing  Mass? 

766.  What  excuse  do  some  give  for  not  hearing  Mass? 

767.  Why  is  it  wrong  to  come  late  for  Mass? 

768.  On  what  day  do  we  keep  a  saint's  feast? 

769.  What  is  the  "  divine  office  "? 

770.  How  is  it  divided? 

771.  Who  are  excused  from  fasting? 

772.  Who  are  obliged  to  abstain  from  flesh-meat  on  fast-days  and 
days  of  abstinence? 

773.  Is  every  fast-day  a  day  of  abstinence? 

Lesson  Thirty-Sixth. 

774.  Why  should  we  go  to  confession  even  when  we  have  not  com- 
mitted sin  since  our  last  confession? 

775.  When  is  Trinity  Sunday? 

776.  How  was  the  Holy  Land  divided? 

777.  Who  were  the  "  Leviles  "  in  the  Old  Law? 

778.  What  were  "first  fruits "  and  tithes  in  the  Old  Law? 

779.  Why  was  Cain's  sacrifice  displeasine  to  God? 

780.  What  relations  are  within  the  fourth  degree  of  kindred? 

781.  What  is  a  "  dispensation  "  granted  by  the  Church? 

782.  What  is  meant  by  the  "natural  law  "? 

783.  When  can  we  obey  the  laws  that  the  State  makes  with  regard  to 
marriage? 

784.  What  is  "excommunication"? 

785.  What  effect  has  it? 

786.  Who  are  excluded  from  Christian  burial? 

787.  How  does  the  Church  show   its  displeasure  when  Catholics 
marry  persons  not  Catholics? 

788.  How  should  persons  prepare  for  marriacre? 


Qtiestions  on  the  Explunaiions.  379 

789.  Are  women  ever  allowed  in  the  Church  with  their  heads  un- 
covered? 

790.  Can  the  priest  say  a  "  nuptial  Mass  "  tor  a  husband  or  wife  aftel 
their  deaths 

Lesson  Tlihty- Seventh. 

791.  Where  will  the  particular  judgment  be  held? 

792.  How  will  it  take  place? 

793.  Will  the  sentence  given  at  the  particular  judgment  be  changed 
at  the  general  judgment? 

794.  How  can  we  daily  prepare  for  jiidgne  it? 

795.  Who  will  be  judged  at  the  general  judirmcnt? 
798.  How  will  the  general  judgment  lake  place? 

797.  What  do  we  mean  by  the  "  pain  of  loss  "? 

798.  What  by  the  "  pain  of  sense  "  that  the  damned  suffer? 

799.  Why  can  we  not  imagine  the  sufferings  of  hell? 

800.  How  does  the  fire  of  hell  differ  from  our  fire? 

801.  Will  there  be  a  purgatory  after  the  general  judgment? 

802.  Why  must  there  be  a  purgator}' now? 

803.  If  God  loves  those  in  purgatury,  wliy  does  He  punish  them* 

804.  Why  do  we  show  respect  to  the  bodies  of  the  dead? 

805.  What  does  "faithful  departed  "  mean? 

806.  What  does  "  rest  in  peace  "  mean? 

807.  What  does  "  seeing  God  face  to  face  "  mean,  if  Gud  hjis  no  »ace 

808.  What  is  the  beatific  vision? 

809.  Of  what  floes  our  liappiiiess  in  heaven  consis*.? 

810.  How  long  will  purgatory  last? 


GENERAL  INDEX 


A. 

QCESTIOM 

Absolution 1 88 

Acolyte 250 

Actual  grace 110 

Adoration  of  the  Magi ,     76 

Advice  necessary  and  useful 372 

Agony  in  the  garden 78 

Alb 250 

Alms  to  the  Church 402 

Almsgiving 221 

Altar  boys 278 

Altars  and  altar  stones 115 

Amice 250 

Ancient  Church 218 

Angels 85 

Angulus The  Angelical  Salutation. 

Anger 59 

Annunciation  day 64 

Apocalypse 802 

Apostles Tlie  Apostles'  Creed. 

Apostate , , 323 

Apostolicity  of  the  Church  1:^2 

Apparitions  of  Our  Lord .• 90 

Archbishop 281 

Arkof  Noe , ". 72 

Ark  of  tlie  Covenant ^ 81 

Ascension  of  Our  Lord „ 91 

Ashes 302 

Assumption  of  the  Blessed  Virtrin 302 

Atheist 823 

Attributes  of  the  Church Lesson  12,  title. 

Attrition „ ....  198 

Authority 123 


382  General  Inatx. 

B. 

QtTESllON 

Backbiting 380 

Bad  company, 114 

Bad  example 364 

Baptism  of  blood  and  desire 154 

Baptism  in  case  of  necessity 159 

Baptism  of  St.  John. 303 

Beads 303 

Bearing  wrongs 233 

Beatific  vision 420 

Beatification TJie  Apostles'  Creed. 

Beatitudes 185 

Benediction  of  the  Blessed  Sacrament 350 

Benefits  of  the  Sacrament  of  Penance Lesson  17,  title. 

Berrelta 250 

Birth  of  Christ 75 

Bishop  of  Rome 117 

Blasphemy 353 

Blessed  Sacrament  carried  to  the  sick 377 

Bloody  sweat  of  Our  Lord 78 

Body  of  Our  Lord 64 

Body  of  the  Church c 131 

Breaking  the  fast  for  Communion 254 

Burial  of  Our  Lord , 88 

Burning  bush.... , 97 


0. 

Ca!n Title  of  Lesson  11. 

Cain's  sacrifice .  , 402 

Call  of  Abraham 114 

Calumny 379 

Calvary • 81 

Candles,  why  used 302 

Canonization  of  saints Tfie  Apostl&i'  O'eed. 

Canonical  penance 818 

Capital  sins ^ 59 

Ci.ravansary , .     75 

Cardinals 281 

Cariying  stories  , 185 

Catacombs 154 

Catechumens 115 


General  Index.  383 

QnESTIOir 

Catechism Lesson  1,  title. 

Cathedral 124 

Cutliolic  books  aud  newspapers 354 

Catholicity  of  the  Chinch 131 

Causes  of  unhappy  marriage 290 

Celebrant  of  Miiss 278 

Census  taking  in  olden  times 75 

Chalice 250 

Changing  water  into  Wine 243 

Character  in  Baptism,  elc l4y 

Charitable  instil utious  213 

Charity The  Act  of  Love. 

Charms 319 

Chasuble 250 

Choice  of  persons  in  marriage  291 

Church,  Militant,  Triumphant,  Suffering T?ie  Apoatten'  ( 'reed. 

Church  instituted  by  Christ 114 

Churches 115 

Ciborium 245 

Cincture 250 

Cities  of  ancient  times. .......   75 

Color  of  the  vestments 25C 

Communion L42 

Communion  of  saints The  Apostles'  Creed. 

Commandments  of  God Lesson  29,  title 

Concaling  sins  in  confession 191 

Concupiscence ,    „.     40 

Condition  of  the  world  before  Christ 72 

Confession  necessary. . . '. 190 

Confessor's  duties 228 

Confusion  of  tongues Lesson  ll,  title. 

Consecrated  ground 404 

Consecration  in  the  Mass 250 

Contempt  365 

Contrition 191 

Converts 289 

Cope 250 

Coronation  of  the  Blessed  Virgin ;i02 

Corporal  works  of  mercy 233 

Covetousness 5^ 

Creation TJie  Apostles'  Oreed, 

Creation  of  Adam  and  Eve ;J9 

Cro'.vnin;:  with  thorns 7o 


384  General  Index, 

QUESTION 

Crucifixion 'iS 

Crucifix  302 

Cruelty  of  the  Romans 78 

Crusades 233 


D. 

Danger  of  living  in  sin 272 

Day  of  the  Jews 88 

Days  of  abstinence 394 

Deacon 278 

Dead  body 59 

Dead  souls.    141 

Death The  Apostles'  Creed. 

Dejith  of  St.  John  the  Baptist 350 

Debts 377 

Definition  of  Dogma  of  Faith 114 

Degrees  of  kindred 403 

Deist 323 

Deliverance  of  the  Jews 95 

Deluge 72 

Descent  of  the  Holy  Ghost 97 

Despair 339 

Detraction 379 

Devil 38 

Diocese 281 

Disciples Tlie  Apostles'  Ci'eed. 

Disciples  on  the  way  to  Emniaus ; 89 

Dishonest  persons. ... 373 

Dispensations 402 

Disrespect  to  parents 362 

Distraction  at  prayer 309 

Divine  Office 391 

Division  of  the  Holy  Land 403 

Divorce  or  separation  in  marriage 284 

Doubt  of  Thomas  the  apostle 89 

Dreams 319 

Dress  at  weddings 407 

Dress  of  the  hiemrchy 281 

Drunkenness 59 

Duty  to  parents 364 


General  Index.  385 

E. 

QUE8TI05 

Eg3rptian  bondage 97 

Elevuiiou  ia  the  Mass 250 

End  of  man  Lesson  1,  title. 

Envy 59 

Epiphany. , Lesson  36,  title. 

Equality  among  all  men 22 

Eternity The  Apostles'  Creed. 

Evils  of  divorce 284 

Evil  effects  of  scandal 321 

Examination  of  conscience 191 

Example  of  Our  Lord 76 

Ex  cathedra 124 

Excommunication 404 

Excuses  for  not  embracing  the  true  religion 324 

Excuses  for  not  attending  Muss 390 

Extreme  Unction Lesson  25,  title. 

Extreme  Unction,  to  whom  it  can  be  given Lesson  25,  title. 

F. 

Faith 107 

Faithful  departed 418 

Fall  of  the  angels 38 

Fall  of  Adam 43 

False  worship 318 

Fast-days 393 

Feasts  of  the  Jews 97 

Feasts  of  the  Church 391 

Final  perseverance 113 

Finding  of  Our  Lord  in  the  Temple 302 

First  Protestants 132 

Flight  into  Egypt 76 

Forgiveness  of  sins 188 

Forgiveness  of  injuries T/ie  Lord's  Prayer. 

Fortune-tellers 318 

Foster-father 63 

Fraternal  correction 222 

Free-will  in  man 5 

Frequent  Communion 270 

Fruits  of  the  Mass 269 

G. 

Gates  of  heaven 60 

General  confession 817 


386  General  Index. 

^UXSTIOK 

Gift  of  tongues 97 

Gladiators Lesson  25,  title. 

Glorified  bodies 89 

Gluttouy 59 

God,  our  Father The  Lord!s  Prayer. 

Gods  of  the  pagans 264 

Golden  calf 341 

Gratitude  to  benefactors 362 

Guardian  angel 36 

a 

Hasty  marriages 290 

Heaven 420 

Heaven  a  reward 51 

Heirs  of  heaven 152 

Hell 413 

Help  to  salvation 3;il 

Heretics 323 

Herod  76 

Hidden  life  of  Christ 76 

Hierarchy 129 

History  of  the  Israelites  in  Egypt 97 

Holy-days 354 

Holy  Ghost Tlie  Apostles'  Greed. 

Holy  Innocents'  feast  76 

Holy  of  holies 81 

Holy  oils 291 

Holy  Orders 278 

Holv  Sepulchre. 88 

Holy  water .293 

Holiness  of  the  Church 130 

Honoring  the  saints 331 

How  to  meditate 304 

Human  sacrifice. 264 

Humeral,  or  Benediction  veil. . , 250 

I. 

"I.  H.  S."with  across 303 

Images  in  the  chiirches 341 

Immaculate  Conception 50 

Impediments  to  marriage 284 

Impurity 370 

incarnation - Lesson  7.  tiiU, 


General  Index.  387 

QUESTION 

indefectibility  of  the  Church 125 

Indiffereutism  in  religion 51 

Indulgences 281 

Infallibility  of  the  Pope 124 

Infidel 323 

Injuring  the  character  of  others 879 

"I.  N.  R.  I."  on  the  cross 302 

Instinct  of  animals , 5 

Intention  at  Mass 269 

Intention  of  the  Pope 237 

Intention  to  gain  indulgences 239 

Interpretation  of  the  Holy  Scripture  129 

J. 

Jacob,  father  of  the  twelve  tribes 97 

Jacob's  vision  and  ladder 36 

Jehova The  Lord's  Prayer. 

John  the  Evangelist  302 

Joseph  in  Egypt 97 

Journey  of  the  Israelites  in  the  desert 97 

Judgment,  particular  and  general 408 

Julian  the  Apostate 353 

Justice  of  Qod 20 

K. 

Kinds  of  indulgences. ..   237 

Kinds  of  Masses 278 

Kinds  of  scapulars 302 

Kingdom  of  God The  LorcCa  Prayer. 

Knowledge  of  God 6 

L. 

Late-coming  to  Mass .,, 890 

Latin  language  in  the  Church 181 

Lawful  marriage 283 

Laws  made  by  the  Church 126 

Laws  of  the  Jews Lesson  29,  t'^ile. 

League  of  the  Sacred  Heart 269 

Lent 221 

Levites 402 

Life  of  Christ 76 

Life  of  the  Blessed  Virgin 364 

Limbo The  Apostles'  Creed. 

Litanies The  Angelical  Salutation. 


388  General  Irudex, 

QUESTION 

Lives  of  the  early  Christians '6Zl 

Lust  time 2ti5 

Louise  Lateau o 89 

Love  of  our  neiglibor 109 

Lucifer  or  Satau  38 

Lust 59 

Luther    138 

Magi  or  Wise  Men..... 76 

Magistrates , 363 

Mahomet 213 

Man 'The  Apostles'  Creed. 

Maniple 250 

Manua 310 

Manner  of  confesoing  our  sins > 191 

Manner  of  examining  our  conscience 191 

Manner  of  giving  absolution 188 

Marks  of  the  Church 114 

Marriage  at  Cana 242 

Marriage  before  a  Protestant  minister 404 

Master  of  Ceremonies 278 

Meaning  of  forty  days'  indulgence • 237 

Meditation  or  mental  prayer 304 

Mercy  of  God 20 

Merit  103 

Minister  of  Baptism 155 

Ministers  of  the  Church 278 

Minor  Orders 278 

Miracles,  true  and  false ....     89 

Mixed  marriages 289 

Molech 264 

Monks 213 

Monsignor 281 

Moses 97 

Murder  of  infants  or  abortion 154 

Mystery 31 

Mysteries  of  the  Rosary =  ..  302 

N. 

Names  in  Baptism 163 

Names  of  Our  Lord 66 


General  Index,  389 

QUESTION 

Natural  state  of  man 154 

!Necesbary  servile  works 360 

Necessity  of  religious  instruction 381 

Neighbor 109 

Newspapers 354 

Noe's  ark 72 

Nuns.. 223 

O. 

Oath , 347 

Obedience  tO  parents 28^ 

Observance  of  Sunday 354 

Occasion  of  sin .  c 207 

Offertory  in  the  Mass 250 

Offering  called  ' '  stipend  "  for  Mass 269 

Ostensorium  or  monstrance 250 

Outward  signs  of  the  sacraments 136 

P. 

Palestine 74 

Pall  for  the  chalice 250 

Pallium 281 

Palms 303 

Pantheon  in  Rome .. 264 

Paradise 40 

Parish 281 

Parts  of  the  Divine  Office 391 

Parts  of  the  Mass ; 250 

Pasch 97 

Paschal  lamb , 97 

Passage  of  the  Red  Sea 97 

Passion  of  Our  Lord 78 

Passover Lesson  17,  title. 

Pastor 281 

Paten 250 

Patron  saint 163 

Payment  of  debts 373 

Penance  given  in  confession 218 

Penitent  thief 82 

Penitents  of  the  early  ages 218 

Pentecost 97 

Perfection  of  God... 4 5 


390  General  Index, 

QtTESTIOM 

Persecutions  of  the  Christians 115 

Persons  excluded  from  Christian  burial 404 

Peter's  pence 125 

Pharao's  dream 97 

Pilgrim 223 

Plagues  of  Egypt 97 

Pledge 351 

Plenary  indulgence 234 

Poor  in  the  true  Church 132 

Pope  in  politics 125 

Prayer 304 

Preaching  of  Our  Lord 185 

Predominant  sin 59 

Preparation  for  confession 191 

Presence  of  God  at  our  prayers Conflteor. 

Presentation  in  the  temple 302 

Preservation  of  creatures  by  God 17 

Presumption 328 

Priests 264 

Pride 59 

Promise  of  the  Redeemer ^ 60 

Proof  of  the  assumption  of  the  Blessed  Virgin 302 

Prophets Lesson  It  title. 

Providence  of  God 416 

Public  life  of  Christ 76 

Public  profession  of  faith 826 

Purgatory ._ 414 

Pnriflcator ' 250 

Purpose  of  amendment 191 

Qualities  of  a  good  prayer 80* 

R. 

Rash  judgment 880 

Reading  bad  books  or  papers 372 

Reading  good  books  or  papers 354 

Reading  the  letters  of  others 380 

Real  presence  in  the  Holy  Eucharist 238 

Reason 5 

Receiving  stolen  goods 375 

Rector ..r. -.-.-.-     361 


Oeneral  Index,  391 

QTTESTIOK 

Redeemer  promised 73 

Redemption Lesson  7,  title. 

Relics 340 

Religious  orders  and  communities 303 

Respect  at  Mass 269 

Respect  in  church 115 

"  Rest  in  peace  " 418 

Restitution 375 

Resurrection  of  Our  Lord 89 

Resurrection  of  the  body The  Apostles'  Creed. 

Revelation 5 

Revenge 368 

Rosary 802 

8. 

Sabbath  of  the  Jews 88 

Sacramental  grace 146 

Sacramentals 293 

Sacraments  in  which  oil  is  used 291 

Sacraments  of  the  dead 140 

Sacraments  of  the  living 143 

Sacred  Heart  of  Jesus 270 

Sacrifice 264 

Sacrilege. 144 

Saints Tlie  Apostles'  Creed. 

Salvation  out  of  the  Catholic  Church 121 

Sanctifying  grace 105 

Saracens 223 

Scandal 413 

Scapulars <> 303 

Schismatic 323 

Scourging  at  the  pillar 78 

Scrupulous  persons .■ 217 

Secret  societies 350 

Secrets  .  ■ .   o 380 

Seven  dolors  of  the  Blessed  Virgin 302 

Seven  dolor  beads 302 

Sickness 273 

Sign  of  the  cross 295 

Simony 269 

Sin,  original,  actual,  mortal,  venial , ..Lesson  6. 

^ins  against  faith # .  • .  821 


392  General  Index, 

qUESTIOIf 

Slander 379 

Slavery Lesson  7,  title. 

Sloth 59 

Soul  like  to  God 5 

Soul  of  the  Church 121 

Spells 318 

Spirit 5 

Spiritual  Communion 270 

Spiritual  life  resembles  bodily  life 137 

Spiritual  works  of  mercy 222 

Sponsors 165 

Sponsors  by  proxy 159 

Spread  of  the  Protestant  religion 132 

St.  Joseph 63 

St.  Joseph's  day 74 

St.  Monica  and  St.  Augustine 307 

St.  Patrick's  day 74 

Stable  at  Bethlehem 75 

State  laws  for  marriage 403 

Stealing 875 

Stigmata  of  Our  Lord 89 

Stole 250 

Strange  gods .'.  315 

Sub-deacon 278 

Sufferings  of  the  damned 413 

Suicide 367 

Supernatural  gifts 108 

T. 

Temple  of  Jerusalem 81 

Temporal  power  of  the  Pope 135 

Temporal  punishment 218 

Temptation 77ie  Lord's  Prayer. 

Testament,  Old  and  New 153 

Thanksgiving  after  Communion 245 

Things  prepared  for  Mass 250 

Things  prepared  for  Viaticum  and  Extreme  Unction 277 

Time  given  to  God's  service 318 

Time  valuable  in  youth 323 

Tithes  and  first-fruits  in  the  Old  \aw 402 

Tobias 36 

Tonsure ^ 278 

Tower  of  Babel - »--   Lesson  11,  ttiig: 


Oeneral  Index,  393 

QUESTION 

Transfiguration  of  Our  Lord , 89 

Tninsubstiintiation ,  243 

Two  natures  in  Christ , , , , ,    65 

U. 

Unity  of  tlie  Cliurch 129 

Unworthy  Commuuion , ..  255 

Use  of  sacramentals 293 

Using  the  sayings  of  Holy  Scripture  in  a  profane  sense 34^ 

V. 

Veil  of  the  temple &l 

Vespers 278 

Vestments,  their  names  and  signification 250 

Viaticum 258 

V^icar  general 281 

Vice 106 

Virtue 106 

Visibility  of  the  Church - 133 

Visible  and  invisible  head  of  the  Church 116 

Visitation  of  the  Blessed  Virgin  The  Angelical  Salutation. 

Vocation 51 

Vow , 350 

W. 

Warning  against  impostors « . .  307 

Ways  of  sharing  in  another's  sin  375 

Whitsunday « 97 

"Who  offered  sacrifice  in  ancient  times 264 

Who  cannot  be  sponsors  at  Baptism 165 

Why  children  should  study 285 

Why  God  does  not  always  grant  our  prayers 307 

Why  holy-days  were  instituted 391 

Why  sickness  is  sometimes  sent Lesson  25,  title. 

Why  there  are  different  religious  orders 302 

Woman  with  issue  of  blood 307 

Works  necessary  to  gain  indulgences 237 

World 1 

"Worship  of  God ^ 


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